Psychosocial factors in chronic fatigue syndrome among Chinese Americans: a longitudinal community-based study.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a relatively new condition of unknown etiology. Research suggests that psychosocial factors such as perceived social support, life stress, and acculturation may significantly influence individuals who are prone to CFS. For 57 Chinese American individuals initially diagnosed with CFS, those who recovered after one year reported lower levels of life stress than those who did not recover.

Cognitive and cognitive-behavioral methods for pain control: a selective review.

The literature on cognitive and cognitive-behavioral methods for pain control is selectively reviewed, with particular focus on controlled studies. Such methods include the provision of preparatory information, cognitive coping skills or strategies, the provision of preparatory information plus some form of coping skills instructions or training, prepared childbirth techniques, multifaceted cognitive-behavioral treatment regimens, and stress-inoculation training. Overall, the scientific evidence for the efficacy of cognitive and cognitive-behavioral methods for clinical pain attenuation is somewhat meager, although some encouraging but still tentative results have been obtained.