Arroll, Megan A, Senior, Victoria · Psychology & health · 2008 · DOI
This study asked eight people with ME/CFS to describe their personal experience of the illness through telephone interviews. Researchers found that patients experience their symptoms in complex ways, with fatigue, pain, and other problems affecting their daily lives in varying patterns. An important discovery was that receiving a diagnosis, while helpful, didn't necessarily make the journey easier—patients continued to struggle with understanding and managing their condition.
Understanding how patients experience and perceive ME/CFS symptoms is crucial for improving diagnostic processes and clinical support. This study highlights that the diagnostic journey doesn't end with diagnosis—patients continue to struggle with symptom interpretation and management, suggesting healthcare providers need ongoing support strategies beyond initial diagnosis.
This study does not establish the biological mechanisms underlying ME/CFS or prove what causes the condition. The small sample size (n=8) and recruitment from support groups means findings may not represent all ME/CFS patients, particularly those not engaged with support communities. Qualitative findings describe experiences but cannot be generalized to all patients without further research.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Arroll, Megan A & Senior, Victoria (2008). Individuals' experience of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.. Psychology & health. https://doi.org/10.1080/14768320701246469
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-arroll-2008-individuals-experience,
author = {Arroll, Megan A and Senior, Victoria},
title = {Individuals' experience of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.},
journal = {Psychology & health},
year = {2008},
doi = {10.1080/14768320701246469},
note = {PubMed: 25160578},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/arroll-2008-individuals-experience},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-29. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/arroll-2008-individuals-experience
Contribute
Private, reviewed by a human. Not a public comment thread.