Individual Video-Based Case Formulation for Participants With Persistent Physical Symptoms Associated With Indoor Environment or Chronic Fatigue

Abstract

Persistent physical symptoms (PPS) refer to a wide range of symptoms that cannot be fully explained by traditional medical assessment of bodily pathology or environmental factors. The aim of the current study was to illustrate the application of an online interview and Functional Analytic Clinical Conceptualization to describe psychological and life problems perceived by participants with PPS and to give examples of how a functional analysis approach to case formulation could assist in their treatment. We applied the Functional Analytic Clinical Case Model (FACCM) in the assessment of participants with PPS (n = 50), including three focus groups: those with PPS related to the indoor environment (n = 11), those with PPS related to prolonged fatigue (n = 28), and those with both symptoms (n = 11). Among the 50 participants with PPS, a typical amount of concurrent psychological and life problems was 9. In addition to PPS, the most typical problems reported were symptoms of stress and burnout (74%), low mood (68%), narrowing of daily life (58%), and worrying (52%). The results highlight the complexity of the participants’ life situations. We found that the FACCM was acceptable and useful in identifying potential individual treatment targets.