You make me tired: An experimental test of the role of interpersonal operant conditioning in fatigue 2018 Bert Lenaert et al

[JohnTheJack]

'Results have implications for treatment development and suggest that interpersonal operant conditioning may contribute to fatigue becoming a chronic symptom.'

Most definitely not a recommendation.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0005796718300135

 

[Hoopoe]

Shit like this then leads to children getting taken away from their families.

 

[Cheshire]

Results suggest that fatigue complaints (and cognitive performance) may become controlled by their consequences such as social reward, and not exclusively by their antecedents such as effort.

Where are these people living? What social reward for being "fatigued" are they talking about?
Time to land and get back to real life, you lazy researchers. Rewards for being ill mainly exist in psychological books.

 

[Effi]

A list of his publications. https://lirias.kuleuven.be/cv?u=U0073677

 

[ladycatlover]

A list of his publications. https://lirias.kuleuven.be/cv?u=U0073677

Thought we had a barf emoji, but obviously not. Hope expressed well enough with my little collection!

What is wrong with these people? They call us crazy, but they are the insanely crazy ones, and what makes me so mad is they get PAID to put out all this utter libelous rubbish about sick people. Grrrrr.

 

[TiredSam]

I've had ME for 4 years and I've yet to receive my reward. When's it coming? If it carries on like this I'm considering giving up and pretending to have something else.

Why don't alleged ME sufferers just stop pretending more often by the way? Being ignored, belittled, abused, starved and locked up isn't much of a reward. Surely more ME sufferers should realise it's a mug's game and just stop.

 

[JemPD]

I've had ME for 4 years and I've yet to receive my reward. When's it coming? If it carries on like this I'm considering giving up and pretending to have something else.

Why don't alleged ME sufferers just stop pretending more often by the way? Being ignored, belittled, abused, starved and locked up isn't much of a reward. Surely more ME sufferers should realise it's a mug's game and just stop.

Indeed.

 

[Invisible Woman]

I've had ME for 4 years and I've yet to receive my reward. When's it coming?

Exactly!

I had this discussion with a psych during an Incapacity Benefit assessment (now ESA). I told her that I could absolutely understand the need to check I was telling the truth, but if I was going to lie, why pick the one disease that no one believes in and means that everyone views you with disgust?

 

[TiredSam]

I had this discussion with a psych during an Incapacity Benefit assessment (now ESA). I told her that I could absolutely understand the need to check I was telling the truth, but if I was going to lie, why pick the one disease that no one believes in and means that everyone views you with disgust?

My guess is that she raised one eyebrow and wrote "masochistic tendencies" on the form.

 

[MEMarge]

Loving this thread for the comments.

Not for the tripe aka psych "research". Shame that we need to know about all this. Anyone with time to review these papers for the rubbish they are?

 

[Joh]

They're all 3 from Maastricht university (the Netherlands).

Their revolutionary research plan (I would be ashamed to write this down and hand it in to get approval, it sounds like a joke):

1. group:

Subtle social reward was given when fatigue increased relative to the previous rating; or disapproval when fatigue decreased.

2. group:

In the control condition, only neutral feedback was given.

Did they have "research meetings" to discuss how disapproval is shown best and practiced slight frowning with mirrors? Would love to see the official handbook.

 

[TiredSam]

I'd be interested to know what they considered to be "subtle social reward" too. I wouldn't find a psychologist leering at me ingratiatingly particularly rewarding, and if one frowned at me I'd just find it funny. How did they reward the patients who couldn't give a f*** what the psych thinks of them? Give them a chocolate biscuit?

These psychs are assuming that their approval or disapproval is of any concern whatsoever to the patient, which is an arrogant assumption. They are also overestimating their own acting skills. A psychologist with a pathalogical hatred of the patient trying to look friendly - what do they think their face looks like?

 

[Trish]

A psychologist with a pathalogical hatred of the patient trying to look friendly - what do they think their face looks like?

 

[Joh]

This made me laugh, thanks. Because I liked it so much, here's another example of "a psychologist with a pathalogical hatred of the patient trying to look friendly".

"Well done. I'm happy that you're fatigued and I'm sure your parents must be very proud. Tell me more about it."

 

[Luther Blissett]

Did they have "research meetings" to discuss how disapproval is shown best and practiced slight frowning with mirrors? Would love to see the official handbook.

I don't think they understand the concept of self reflection.

Maybe being graced with their presence is the 'subtle social reward'?

Edited to add: You are our subtle social reward @TiredSam

 

[Invisible Woman]

Is that them green with envy over all our lovely secondary illness benefits @Trish ?

 

[BruceInOz]

I have only read the abstract but haven't they just demonstrated that subjective questionnaire responses can be influenced by researcher bias?

 

[NelliePledge]

Clueless
What sort of reward is trying to work with this illness you can’t even manage a few hours a week after 2 years then you speak to a Dr who actually has a clue who says you’ve had it for 10 years or more all the time you’ve been flogging yourself at work working extra hard to compensate for being off sick more than everyone else. Any career prospects out of the window just running to keep up. Yes I’ve really got a lot of benefit from that. Bullocks

No doubt by going off on one I’ve proved I need psych help. Grrrhhh