Mechanisms of change underlying the efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome in a specialist clinic: a mediation analysis.
Stahl, D, Rimes, K A, Chalder, T·Psychological medicine·2014
This study looked at how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works for ME/CFS by following 389 patients over a year. The researchers found that when patients reduced their avoidance behaviors, their fearful beliefs about activity decreased, which in turn helped reduce fatigue and improve their ability to engage socially. This suggests CBT's benefits come partly from changing how people think about and approach activity.