Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31377502›Full record

ArticleSocial science & medicine (1982)2019

Relationship satisfaction, communication self-efficacy, and chronic fatigue syndrome-related fatigue.

Sara F Milrad, Daniel L Hall, Devika R Jutagir, Emily G Lattie, Sara J Czaja, Dolores M Perdomo, Gail Ironson, Brian D Doss, Armando Mendez, Mary Ann Fletcher and 2 more

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In one paragraph

Article in Social science & medicine (1982), 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Recent research in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: an evidence map.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
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  6. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Sara F MilradDepartment of Psychology, University of Miami, USA.
Daniel L HallDepartment of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/ Harvard Medical School, USA.
Devika R JutagirDepartment of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA.
Emily G LattieDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago IL, USA.
Sara J CzajaDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, USA.
Dolores M PerdomoDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, USA.
Gail IronsonDepartment of Psychology, University of Miami, USA.
Brian D DossDepartment of Psychology, University of Miami, USA.
Armando MendezDepartment of Psychology, University of Miami, USA.
Mary Ann FletcherInstitute for Neuro Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, USA.
Nancy KlimasInstitute for Neuro Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, USA.
Michael H AntoniDepartment of Psychology, University of Miami, USA. Electronic address: mantoni@miami.edu.

Funding

X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHYP30CA008748 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RES · PI Nicholas D Socci · 1985 to 2026
$347.4M
Patient-Partner Stress Management Effects on CFS Symptoms and Neuroimmune ProcessR01NS072599 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI CORAL GABLES · PI ANTONI, MICHAEL HOWARD · 2010 to 2014
$2.7M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA008748NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS072599
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleRelationship dissatisfaction has been linked with worse health outcomes in many patient populations, though the mechanism(s) underlying this effect are unclear. Among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and their partners, there is evidence for a bi-directional association between poorer relationship satisfaction and the severity of CFS-related fatigue.

objectiveHere, we hypothesized that relationship dissatisfaction negatively impacts fatigue severity through greater depression and less patient satisfaction about communication about symptoms to partners.

methodBaseline data were drawn from diagnosed CFS patients (N = 150) participating in a trial testing the efficacy of a stress management intervention. Data derived from fatigue severity (Fatigue Symptom Index, FSI), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Survey-Depression, CES-D), relationship quality (Dyadic Adjustment Scale, DAS) and communication satisfaction (Patient Symptom Disclosure Satisfaction, PSDS) questionnaires were used for bootstrapped indirect effect analyses using parallel mediation structural equation modeling in Mplus (v8). Age and BMI were entered as covariates.

resultsGreater relationship satisfaction predicted greater communication satisfaction (p < 0.01) and lower CES-D scores (p < 0.01), which in turn were each significantly related to greater fatigue severity (p < 0.05). Tests of the indirect paths indicated that relationship satisfaction had a significant effect on fatigue severity through both constructs, but primarily via depression. There was no direct association between relationship satisfaction and fatigue severity after the intermediate variables (depression, communication satisfaction) were included in the model.

conclusionResults highlight the importance of considering depression and communication-related factors when examining the effects of relationship satisfaction on CFS symptoms such as fatigue. Further mechanism-based, longitudinal research might identify relationship-related mediating variables that can be targeted therapeutically.

Indexed as

CommunicationInterpersonal RelationsSelf EfficacyAdultAgedDepressionFatigueFatigue Syndrome, ChronicFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPersonal SatisfactionPsychiatric Status Rating ScalesSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultChronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)Communication satisfactionDepressionFatigue severityRelationship qualityStructural equation modelingUnited States

Identifiers

PMID31377502
PMCPMC8088125

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Registered trials

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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.