Kempke, Stefan, Van Den Eede, Filip, Schotte, Chris et al. · International journal of behavioral medicine · 2013 · DOI
This study tested whether people with ME/CFS have more personality disorders than the general population. Researchers gave 92 women with ME/CFS and two comparison groups (92 community members and 92 psychiatric patients) a questionnaire about personality traits. The results showed that ME/CFS patients had personality disorder rates similar to healthy people, not higher rates, though they did show some depressive and obsessive-compulsive traits.
This research directly addresses a common misconception that ME/CFS is primarily a psychological or personality disorder. By demonstrating that ME/CFS patients have personality disorder rates similar to the general population, it supports the view that ME/CFS is a distinct medical condition, not a manifestation of underlying personality pathology.
This study does not establish causation or demonstrate whether any observed personality features are a cause or consequence of ME/CFS. The cross-sectional design cannot determine temporal relationships, and findings in this female-only sample may not generalize to male patients with ME/CFS.
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
Kempke, Stefan, Van Den Eede, Filip, Schotte, Chris, Claes, Stephan, Van Wambeke, Peter, Van Houdenhove, Boudewijn, et al. (2013). Prevalence of DSM-IV personality disorders in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a controlled study.. International journal of behavioral medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-012-9273-y
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-kempke-2013-prevalence-dsm,
author = {Kempke, Stefan and Van Den Eede, Filip and Schotte, Chris and Claes, Stephan and Van Wambeke, Peter and Van Houdenhove, Boudewijn and Luyten, Patrick},
title = {Prevalence of DSM-IV personality disorders in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a controlled study.},
journal = {International journal of behavioral medicine},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.1007/s12529-012-9273-y},
note = {PubMed: 23065435},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/kempke-2013-prevalence-dsm},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-25. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/kempke-2013-prevalence-dsm
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