Short-Term Group Therapy for Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Background: This study presents experiences of focused short-term group therapy for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Methods: Fourteen women diagnosed as CFS patients were randomly placed into two groups. The control group received group therapy 5 months after the first group. The project consisted of 10 group sessions of 1.5 h per week. Sense of coherence (SOC) was used for measuring coping resources, and self-rating scales of quality of life and of fatigue were compared before and after group therapy. Results: The most valuable aspect was the sharing of experiences. More than half of the patients also felt that the sessions had improved psychological well-being through adjustment of ambitions and improved coping with symptoms. Conclusion: The study encourages further research. If group therapy is chosen as treatment for these patients, a longer period is recommended. A possible alternative is individualized short-term therapy adapted to each patient’s needs, problems and circumstances.