The experience of autogenic training for people with fybromyalgia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The experience of autogenic training for people with fybromyalgia
IRAS ID
140941
Contact name
Catherine Porter
Contact email
Research summary
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a diagnostic term used to describe an experience of wide-spread chronic pain where an organic cause cannot be ascertained. Presentations vary and a range of accompanying symptoms include anxiety, depression and fatigue. Relief through medication is often limited and psychological treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - the psychological treatment of choice for this client group - is found to reduce psychological distress associated with FM in around fifty per cent of cases. Thus there is significant scope to develop and improve upon the delivery of treatments for this client group.
Past research has identified autogenic training as an effective mind-body treatment for those experiencing conditions such as anxiety, depression and sleep difficulties (Stetter & Kupper, 2002). There is also a small body of research and some service evaluation suggesting helpful effects of autogenic training for people with fybromyalgia (Sadigh, 2002). However, no study to date has explored in-depth the nature of these changes in cases of FM and the mechanism by which they seem to come about. As such, this project proposes to use a grounded theory approach to explore this issue. This is a qualitative research methodology whereby an inductive theory about the mechanism of psychological change is generated from data collected through interview of participants. It is often used when there is a paucity of research within a particular area, and as such is considered suitable for this area of interest.
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SC/0197
Date of REC Opinion
4 Apr 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion