The Metacognitions about Symptoms Control Scale: Development and Concurrent Validity.

Objective: This paper presents the development and preliminary validation of a self-report instrument designed to measure metacognitions pertaining to symptoms control in the form of the following: (1) symptoms focusing and (2) symptoms conceptual thinking.

Methods: A total of 124 patients (95 female and 29 male) presenting with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) contributed data to the study to test the structure and psychometric properties of the Metacognitions about Symptoms Control Scale (MaSCS).

Results: A principal components factor analysis indicated that a two-factor solution best fitted the data.

Metacognitive factors in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Unlabelled: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which is characterized by fatigue and flu-like symptoms that are not alleviated by rest, is a poorly understood condition and an often controversial diagnosis. Earlier research has indicated that general metacognitions are associated with the severity of symptoms in patients with CFS. In the current study, we aimed to determine whether specific metacognitive factors are implicated in CFS.

Metacognitions and negative emotions as predictors of symptom severity in chronic fatigue syndrome.

Objective: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) describes a condition that is primarily characterized by fatigue and flu-like symptoms that are not alleviated by rest. This study investigated the relationship among metacognitions, negative emotions, and symptom severity in CFS.

Methods: A total of 96 patients who had received a diagnosis of CFS according to the Oxford Criteria completed a battery of self-report measures that consisted of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, the 30-Item Metacognitions Questionnaire, the Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire (CFQ), and the RAND 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey-Physical Functioning.