Brigden, Amberly, Shaw, Alison, Anderson, Emma et al. · Clinical child psychology and psychiatry · 2021 · DOI
This study looked at how ME/CFS affects younger children (ages 5-11) and what their families experience. Researchers interviewed children and parents to understand how the illness impacts daily life and what kind of support they need. The study found that children over 8 years old can better understand and manage their illness compared to younger children, and that parents of very young children need more support from healthcare providers.
There are currently no evidence-based treatments specifically designed for younger children with ME/CFS. This research provides crucial insights into the real-world experiences and developmental needs of this under-studied population, helping clinicians and researchers design age-appropriate interventions and support systems that can actually help families manage this disabling illness.
This qualitative study does not prove that specific interventions are effective; it only explores family experiences and perspectives. It cannot establish causal relationships between parental support and patient outcomes, nor does it demonstrate whether proposed treatment approaches (parent-only sessions, parent-delivered treatment) actually improve clinical outcomes when implemented.
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
Brigden, Amberly, Shaw, Alison, Anderson, Emma, & Crawley, Esther (2021). Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in children aged 5 to 11 years: A qualitative study.. Clinical child psychology and psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104520964528
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-brigden-2021-chronic-fatigue,
author = {Brigden, Amberly and Shaw, Alison and Anderson, Emma and Crawley, Esther},
title = {Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis in children aged 5 to 11 years: A qualitative study.},
journal = {Clinical child psychology and psychiatry},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.1177/1359104520964528},
note = {PubMed: 33092395},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/brigden-2021-chronic-fatigue},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-29. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/brigden-2021-chronic-fatigue
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