Introduction
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has a profound and debilitating effect on the lives of individuals with this disease. With symptoms such as sleeping disturbances, severe fatigue, cognitive processing issues, muscle pain and weakness and sore throat’s and fever this illness affects all aspects of an individual’s life (Asbring 2000, Arroll & Howard 2012).
While research is being undertaken to find the underlying causes of this syndrome, it has so far only touched the surface of the life altering changes an individual experiences. How CFS affects meaningful activities of these individuals needs to be further explored to equip occupational therapist with the tools to assist. Furthermore limited research has been completed by occupational …show more content…
Lemon, personal communications, June 15th, 2016). Dickson (2008) participates started to explore new meaningful occupations. This study found that when participates did engage in new activities and hobbies in order to better manage their fatigue they experiences greater feelings of control and developed a sense of personal agency. In addition to this Whitehead (2006) also found that participates were able to developed strategies for coping, such as changing the pace and organization of activities or finding alternative activities and interest. Furthermore in Reynolds (2003) study it was found that by engaging individuals with chronic illness in leisure based art they were able to start fulfilling personal aspirations once again. Participates uncovered a meaningful occupation which allowed them to reclaim a positive …show more content…
The previously established Interest checklist is a well-established tool for occupational therapist to review changes in an individual’s interest since illness. The researcher will be able to look at their level of interest in an activity in the past ten years, the past year as well as the present and the future. By analyzing the individuals’ results the researcher will be able to identify the extent in which an individual has made changes to their occupation.
Further information will be gathered on the participates level of functional impairment through the use of the Sickness Impact Profile -68. This is a well established and widely recognized health status questionnaire that has undergone psychometric research indicating it is both reliable and valid. (Nanda, McLendon, Andresen & Armbrecht, 2003; Van Damme, Crombez, Van Houdenhove, Mariman & Michielsen, 2006).
To reach the desired population of CFS sufferer’s communications will be made through the national CFS support group “The Associated New Zealand ME Society (ANZMES)”. The association has connections to local support groups nationwide, allowing the researcher to reach maximum population level. Research information will be distributed in paper based and electric form to ensure saturation and increased response rate.
Qualitative
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has a profound and debilitating effect on the lives of individuals with this disease. With symptoms such as sleeping disturbances, severe fatigue, cognitive processing issues, muscle pain and weakness and sore throat’s and fever this illness affects all aspects of an individual’s life (Asbring 2000, Arroll & Howard 2012).
While research is being undertaken to find the underlying causes of this syndrome, it has so far only touched the surface of the life altering changes an individual experiences. How CFS affects meaningful activities of these individuals needs to be further explored to equip occupational therapist with the tools to assist. Furthermore limited research has been completed by occupational …show more content…
Lemon, personal communications, June 15th, 2016). Dickson (2008) participates started to explore new meaningful occupations. This study found that when participates did engage in new activities and hobbies in order to better manage their fatigue they experiences greater feelings of control and developed a sense of personal agency. In addition to this Whitehead (2006) also found that participates were able to developed strategies for coping, such as changing the pace and organization of activities or finding alternative activities and interest. Furthermore in Reynolds (2003) study it was found that by engaging individuals with chronic illness in leisure based art they were able to start fulfilling personal aspirations once again. Participates uncovered a meaningful occupation which allowed them to reclaim a positive …show more content…
The previously established Interest checklist is a well-established tool for occupational therapist to review changes in an individual’s interest since illness. The researcher will be able to look at their level of interest in an activity in the past ten years, the past year as well as the present and the future. By analyzing the individuals’ results the researcher will be able to identify the extent in which an individual has made changes to their occupation.
Further information will be gathered on the participates level of functional impairment through the use of the Sickness Impact Profile -68. This is a well established and widely recognized health status questionnaire that has undergone psychometric research indicating it is both reliable and valid. (Nanda, McLendon, Andresen & Armbrecht, 2003; Van Damme, Crombez, Van Houdenhove, Mariman & Michielsen, 2006).
To reach the desired population of CFS sufferer’s communications will be made through the national CFS support group “The Associated New Zealand ME Society (ANZMES)”. The association has connections to local support groups nationwide, allowing the researcher to reach maximum population level. Research information will be distributed in paper based and electric form to ensure saturation and increased response rate.
Qualitative