Friedberg, F, Jason, L A · Journal of clinical psychology · 2001 · DOI
This review examines how ME/CFS and fibromyalgia are similar conditions that doctors don't fully understand yet. The authors looked at research on what causes these illnesses, how to diagnose them (including checking for depression and anxiety), and what treatments work—including medications, alternative therapies, and talking with a therapist. The study suggests that mental health professionals can play an important role in helping patients manage their symptoms.
This review bridges the gap between somatic and psychiatric conceptualizations of ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, emphasizing that psychological support is complementary to medical care rather than dismissive of underlying pathology. It validated the role of mental health professionals in multidisciplinary treatment, helping normalize psychological interventions as part of comprehensive care for these patients.
This review does not establish that ME/CFS is primarily psychiatric in origin, nor does it prove causality between stress and disease development. The integration of psychiatric assessment with medical evaluation does not imply that psychiatric symptoms cause the underlying condition.
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 →
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Primary citation
Friedberg, F & Jason, L A (2001). Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: clinical assessment and treatment.. Journal of clinical psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.1040
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-friedberg-2001-chronic-fatigue,
author = {Friedberg, F and Jason, L A},
title = {Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: clinical assessment and treatment.},
journal = {Journal of clinical psychology},
year = {2001},
doi = {10.1002/jclp.1040},
note = {PubMed: 11255201},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/friedberg-2001-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/friedberg-2001-chronic-fatigue
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