Trial reportInternational journal of behavioral medicine2015
Effects of a self-regulation based physical activity program (the "4-STEPS") for unexplained chronic fatigue: a randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in International journal of behavioral medicine, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- A mixed-methods systematic review of post-viral fatigue interventions: Are there lessons for long Covid?PloS one · 2021Pooled it
- Behavioural modification interventions for medically unexplained symptoms in primary care: systematic reviews and economic evaluation.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2020Pooled it
- Effect of hemodiafiltration on measured physical activity: primary results of the HDFIT randomized controlled trial.Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association · 2021Trial
- Effect of a Tailored Activity Pacing Intervention on Fatigue and Physical Activity Behaviours in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Trial
- Changing physical activity behavior among individuals with inflammatory arthritis: an umbrella review of current behaviors, behavioral determinants, and behavior change interventions.BMC rheumatology · 2025Article
- Exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThis study aimed at assessing the effects of a self-regulation-based brief physical activity program for patients suffering from unexplained chronic fatigue, the "4-STEPS to control your fatigue program".
methodA 12-week randomized controlled trial was conducted. Adult patients meeting the CDC criteria for idiopathic chronic fatigue were randomized to either the control condition (standard care) or the intervention condition (4-STEPS). The 4-STEPS was based on self-regulation principles and consisted of motivational interviewing and self-regulation skills training. All patients were assessed at baseline and post-treatment (12 weeks) for fatigue severity (primary outcome) and impact, physical activity (leisure time physical activity, number of daily steps and personal activity goal progress), health-related quality of life, somatic distress and psychological distress (depression and anxiety).
resultsNinety-one patients (45 intervention and 46 control patients) received the allocated intervention. At post-treatment, statistical analysis revealed a significant difference for subjective experience of fatigue (4.73 points; g = 0.51) in favour of the intervention group. Mixed design ANCOVAs showed a significant effect of the 4-STEPS on fatigue severity, leisure time physical activity, personal activity goal progress and health-related quality of life. No significant effects were found for number of daily steps and somatic and psychological distress.
conclusionThe 4-STEPS program has significant beneficial effects at post-treatment. This brief self-regulation-based intervention looks promising for the management of unexplained chronic fatigue.
trial registrationISRCTN70763996.
Indexed as
Identifiers
25187111What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.