Stress reactivity in people suffering from chronic fatigue

During the course of this PhD, the student will examine the relationship between stressful experiences, stress reactivity and symptoms in people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), in comparison with matched non-fatigued control participants. The project will include a systematic review of stress reactivity in fatiguing conditions, a qualitative study of the impact of stress on symptoms in people with CFS and an experimental study using the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to compare stress reactivity in CFS participants and controls. We will also consider the potential moderating role of support attempts by close significant others (e.g. spouses or partners) on the response to stress, using a partner support version of the TSST.