Effectiveness of Acceptance Commitment Therapy or Micro Breaks in Patients With CFS/ME

Project description

This study will examine the response to two non-drug treatment methods for ME/CFS over an observation period of 9 months, i.e. 13-14 weeks as part of group therapy and 2 follow-up appointments 3 and 6 months after the therapy. For this purpose, patients who were diagnosed with ME/CFS during the assessment at the chronic fatigue consultation at the Clinic for Consultant Psychiatry and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Zurich, will be informed about the study. If the patient agrees to take part in the study, the participants will be randomly assigned to one of the groups, i.e. one of the two therapy groups or a waiting group.

In the group therapy, a psychotherapist will teach either the exercises from acceptance commitment therapy (ACT) or the concept of mini breaks in everyday life (MIA). The group therapy comprises 8 appointments, each lasting 90 minutes. At the first appointment, the possible causes and development of chronic fatigue syndrome are discussed, and in subsequent sessions, exercises for one of the two therapy methods are taught. Participants in group therapy are asked to continue the applications and techniques between sessions and to fill out certain questionnaires during the sessions. In addition, blood and saliva samples are taken before and after therapy to determine inflammation levels and stress hormones, and to analyse gene components. Before and after therapy, activity and rest phases are measured by wearing a wristwatch for 7 days. Participants who are waiting will be included in one of the next therapy groups after a waiting period of at least three months. To ensure good statistical significance, a total of 90 participants will be included in the study over three years.

(Description adapted from project website: see link above)