Self-Critical Perfectionism Predicts Lower Cortisol Response to Experimental Stress in Cfs Patients

[voner]

Self-Critical Perfectionism Predicts Lower Cortisol Response to Experimental Stress in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Kempke S, Luyten P, Mayes LC, Van Houdenhove B, Claes S.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Previous studies have suggested that self-critical perfectionism (SCP) may play a role in the development and maintenance of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). In this study we investigated whether SCP is related to a hypofunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which has been shown to be a key factor in the pathophysiology of CFS.

METHOD:
We conducted a quasi-experimental study to examine the association between SCP (as measured with the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire) and stress reactivity in a sample of 41 female CFS patients. Participants were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Both subjective stress and salivary cortisol levels were measured until 90 min after the TSST. We also examined the relationship between stress reactivity and illness characteristics (i.e., duration and severity of symptoms).

RESULTS:
The results showed that SCP was associated with increased subjective stress reactivity, but with decreased HPA-axis reactivity as indicated by a blunted cortisol response to the TSST. Furthermore, we found an inverse relationship between cortisol reactivity and symptom severity. There was no relationship between cortisol reactivity and illness duration.

CONCLUSION:
Our findings suggest that SCP is associated with loss of resilience of the neurobiological stress response system in CFS. (PsycINFO Database Record

I think this quote from the abstract explains all....."We conducted a quasi-experimental study to examine the association"

i'm always wondering – "how do these ridiculous studies get funded?"..... quasi-experimental study!!!! association!!!

 

[duncan]

This study write-up would seem to suggest none of the authors suffers from SCP.

 

[A.B.]

People who have taken cortisol have probably noticed that it increases stress tolerance. From the wording I'd guess the authors believe it's the other way around.

 

[TiredSam]

i'm always wondering – "how do these ridiculous studies get funded?"

Uncritically.

 

[Aurator]

Unfortunately, they forgot to do a preliminary study to establish whether SCP actually exists.

This study has earned its place in the same category as studies such as how many angels can dance simultaneously on the head of a pin. The only difference between the two is that the theological study probably caused less harm than the present one will.

 

[worldbackwards]

The irony is that there's nothing like ME to get rid of any perfectionist traits that you might have. Under-achieving? Other things to worry about. Done the dishes? Another time...

 

[Snow Leopard]

Pubmed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26690635
APA link: http://psycnet.apa.org/psycarticles/2015-57037-001

Also note that in otherwise healthy people, perfectionism is apparently associated with increased cortisol levels...

 

[TiredSam]

The irony is that there's nothing like ME to get rid of any perfectionist traits that you might have.

Say Amen, Somebody.

 

[voner]

I think this quote from the abstract explains all....."We conducted a quasi-experimental study to examine the association"

i'm always wondering – "how do these ridiculous studies get funded?"..... quasi-experimental study!!!! association!!!

another question is why do these ridiculous/ unrigorous studies get published? Who is wasting $ by funding these journals that publish these ridiculous studies?

 

[JayS]

another question is why do these ridiculous/ unrigorous studies get published? Who is wasting $ by funding these journals that publish these ridiculous studies?

And then there's this. Happy Holidays.

Significant other behavioural responses and patient chronic fatigue syndrome symptom fluctuations in the context of daily life: An experience sampling study.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26700742


"Significant other responses to patients' symptoms are important for patient illness outcomes in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME); negative responses have been associated with increased patient depression, whilst increased disability and fatigue have been associated with solicitous significant other responses. The current study aimed to examine the relationship between significant other responses and patient outcomes within the context of daily life."

 

[TiredSam]

And then there's this. Happy Holidays.

Significant other behavioural responses and patient chronic fatigue syndrome symptom fluctuations in the context of daily life: An experience sampling study.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26700742


"Significant other responses to patients' symptoms are important for patient illness outcomes in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME); negative responses have been associated with increased patient depression, whilst increased disability and fatigue have been associated with solicitous significant other responses. The current study aimed to examine the relationship between significant other responses and patient outcomes within the context of daily life."

Why don't these authors get a job? Burger King. Anything.

 

[worldbackwards]

Imagine telling people about what you do. "If I could make sure that one, just one, patient had their support networks cut off today, so they were left floundering in a world of pain, exhaustion and severe disablement with no help and no one to fight their corner, then I can truly say that I've done some good in this world. Some people may earn more than I do, but you can't buy this kind of job satisfaction, the ability to really make a difference..."

 

[Cheshire]

Significant other behavioural responses and patient chronic fatigue syndrome symptom fluctuations in the context of daily life: An experience sampling study.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26700742



The paragraph about limitations of the study is interesting. It contradicts all of their claims.

There are a number of limitations associated with the current study that need to be acknowledged. As noted above, the temporal associations identified between variables of interest are limited by their correlational nature. Therefore, it is not possible to infer causal relationships from ESM data, and as a result, alternative explanations for these observations must be explored. For example, it is possible that increased patient symptom severity at the momentary level elicited negative significant other responses.

But they nonetheless keep implying this causal link exists throughout all the study.

The lack of associations between significant other responses and patient outcomes at the subsequent momentary assessment is surprising given the previous literature and suggests that the impact of significant other responses on patient outcomes is, at a momentary level at least, fairly transitory.

So the significant others response has in fact no long term impact. And therefore is negligible...

It is also possible that patient enrolment in specialist CFS/ME treatment programmes prior to entering the study may have impacted upon the relationship between patient illness experiences and significant other responses. Patients may have been at different stages of their treatment programmes; we do not have data regarding the stage of treatment that each patient had reached. Future studies may usefully combine ESM techniques with ongoing treatment programmes to analyse processes of change.

Anyway, they in fact don't have sufficient data to establish any sound conclusion.

But... the first line of the abstract is "Significant other responses to patients' symptoms are important for patient illness outcomes in chronic fatigue syndrome".

It's time these people stop feeling allowed to claim what they fancy despite null results.

 

[voner]

Significant other behavioural responses and patient chronic fatigue syndrome symptom fluctuations in the context of daily life: An experience sampling study.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26700742
....................

It's time these people stop feeling allowed to claim what they fancy despite null results.

I agree. I once again ask the questions "how do these studies get funded?" , "How do these studies get published?"

 

[Hip]

Previous studies have suggested that self-critical perfectionism (SCP) may play a role in the development and maintenance of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).

There are two ways that you can interpret a statement like the above.


• The first interpretation, which I do not agree with, is that the mental stance of perfectionism could play a role in the development of the mental and cognitive symptoms of ME/CFS.

This proposed causality operates at the level of mind: it posits that a mental disposition or trait like perfectionism could, via a mental causal mechanism, play role in triggering the mental symptoms of ME/CFS.

I disagree with this, because by and large, in abnormal psychology, I don't think the mental level is where we should be looking for the causes of mental symptoms. Where we should be looking is at the physical (brain) level for the causes of mental symptoms.


• So the second interpretation of the above statement is that the underlying brain disposition that causes perfectionism traits may also play a role in the development of ME/CFS mental symptoms.

Now this is a different interpretation, because it proposes a possible cause-and-effect relationship at the level of brain, not the level mind.

It suggests that whatever the physical setup in the brain that gives rise to perfectionism traits, this physical setup might also play a casual role in ME/CFS.

 

[Esther12]

Significant other behavioural responses and patient chronic fatigue syndrome symptom fluctuations in the context of daily life: An experience sampling study.

Should this get a new thread? Could copy/paste posts. Seems to have gone OT in here.

 

[TiredSam]

Previous studies have suggested that self-critical perfectionism (SCP) may play a role in the development and maintenance of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).

There are two ways that you can interpret a statement like the above.

I'd say there's at least a third interpretation, which is that the above statement about "previous studies" doesn't contain any references, it's merely a claim. There may well be other "studies" of a similar quality to this "study", in which case nothing was established, so there is nothing to interpret.

If we really need an interpretation, mine is that some whack-jobs just wrote some stuff.

 

[Hip]

which is that the above statement about "previous studies" doesn't contain any references, it's merely a claim.

Previous studies on perfectionist / obsessive-compulsive traits in ME/CFS:

Personality and perfectionism in chronic fatigue syndrome: a closer look

Self-critical perfectionism, stress generation, and stress sensitivity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Self-critical perfectionism and its relationship to fatigue and pain in the daily flow of life in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Associations between perfectionism, mood, and fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome: a pilot study

Unraveling the role of perfectionism in chronic fatigue syndrome: is there a distinction between adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism?

The role of neuroticism, perfectionism and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome. A structural equation modeling approach

Perfectionism and stress reactivity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Self-esteem mediates the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and depression in chronic fatigue syndrome

Perfectionism and maladaptive coping styles in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia/arthritis and in healthy controls

The role of personality in the development and perpetuation of chronic fatigue syndrome

Prevalence of DSM-IV personality disorders in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a controlled study

 

[Esther12]

Previous studies on perfectionist / obsessive-compulsive traits in ME/CFS:

Do you think that any of them hold up to any real critical analysis? I've seen a lot of bad and spun work in this area.

 

[Snowdrop]

Is there some mechanism for suggesting a paper for retraction? I know retraction watch just keeps track of the papers that have been retracted but how does the process work for choosing what needs reviewing.

Anymore papers like this and I'll need to rest my eyeballs from all the rolling they do.

And if this 'theory' is so robust perhaps they should have used air traffic controllers as a sample group. Do they have a higher than average incidence of ME? Their job pretty much requires perfection.

You would think that this stuff would be weeded out simply because it causes psych researchers to look like blundering fools. Or do the leaders in the field/those responsible for journals consider this real research?

And if so why?

Should we blame a personality trait perhaps?