The relationship between illness attributions and attributional style in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Objective. To examine the relationship between illness attributions and general attributional style in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Method. Participants with CFS answered questions on their explanation for their illness and completed the Attributional Style Questionnaire (parallel form). Results. Of the participants, 58.3% attributed their illness to predominantly physical factors. A significant relationship was found between the presence of a self-serving attributional style and illness attributions. Conclusion. Illness attributions were associated with an individual's general attributional style. It is suggested that illness attributions may be less important with regards prognosis than, for example, other variables which influence a person's general view of the world.