Thesis The Role of Coping Strategies, Perceived Stress, and Vital Exhaustion in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), 2024, Krueger

https://scholarship.miami.edu/esplo...oping-Strategies-Perceived/991031997115502976

Thesis OPEN ACCESS
The Role of Coping Strategies, Perceived Stress, and Vital Exhaustion in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

Mason J. Krueger
Master of Science (MS), University of Miami
2024-02





Abstract

Myalgic encephalomyelitis Coping Vital exhaustion Fatigue Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Stress

Background:

Coping strategies may be one set of factors influencing the underlying stress mechanisms that may maintain feelings of fatigue and exhaustion in ME/CFS patients.

However, the literature lacks clarity of this relationship in ME/CFS individuals.

Therefore, this study used a quantitative modeling analysis to examine differences between ME/CFS and non-ME/CFS groups in:

1) the association of perceived stress (PS) and vital exhaustion (VE);

and

2) the direct and indirect paths from coping strategies to PS and VE, and from PS to VE.

Methods:

The current study enrolled 52 ME/CFS adults (18-54 years old) and 139 healthy adults without ME/CFS (19-55 years old).

VE was measured by the Maastricht Questionnaire and PS by the Perceived Stress Scale.

Coping strategies were assessed via the Brief COPE subscales.

Multigroup structural equation modeling was used to compare groups. Results: The final model had excellent fit (CFI = 1.00, RMSEA <.001).

Model comparisons indicated overall structural model differences between the ME/CFS and non-ME/CFS groups (p=.002).

In the ME/CFS group, the final model explained 62.5% variance in PS, and 67.4% variance in VE.

In the ME/CFS group, as hypothesized, the direct effect of PS to VE was observed (p=.002).

In addition, significant (p<.05) direct paths for coping strategies to PS included:
acceptance, active coping, behavioral disengagement, emotional support, and planning. Religious coping to PS was marginally significant (p=.051).

Significant direct effects of coping strategies to VE included: active coping, and planning.

Mediation analyses of the ME/CFS paths revealed significant indirect effects of coping strategies to VE via PS including: active coping (p=.036) and marginally significant (p<.10) indirect effects of acceptance and religion.

Conclusions:

Present findings suggest that the extreme and debilitating fatigue, indexed by VE, experienced by ME/CFS patients may be in part be affected by the association of specific coping strategies with PS.

These associations may be key factors to target in interventional studies of ME/CFS fatigue.


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Details
TITLE
The Role of Coping Strategies, Perceived Stress, and Vital Exhaustion in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
CREATORS
Mason J. Krueger
CONTRIBUTORS
Barry Hurwitz (Committee Member)
Michael Antoni (Committee Member)
Nancy Klimas (Committee Member)
THESES AND DISSERTATIONS
Master of Science (MS), University of Miami; Thesis
DEGREE IN
Psychology
DATE OF DEFENSE
2023-10-31
ACADEMIC UNIT
A&S - Psychology
LANGUAGE
English
RESOURCE TYPE
Thesis
RECORD IDENTIFIER
991031997115502976

 

https://www.researchgate.net/figure...m-the-Maastricht-Questionnaire_tbl1_329804988
https://novopsych.com.au/assessments/formulation/brief-cope/