The effects of anticipatory fatigue and emotional symptomatology on perceived physical and cognitive fatigue

The two fold aim of this study was first, to analyze the effects of anticipatory fatigue, emotional symptomatology and belonging to a clinical group on the physical and cognitive perception of fatigue, and second, to explore the potential moderating effect of anticipatory fatigue on the relationship between symptomatology or clinical condition and perceived fatigue. The conditional and partial effects of independent variables were analyzed by hierarchical regression in an ex-post-facto correlational design. The sample was composed of 317 participants (29% from a clinical population). Anticipatory fatigue (by an ad hoc scale), and perception of fatigue (by the Chalder Fatigue Scale) were measured. Emotional symptoms were assessed by Goldberg's GHQ-28 questionnaire. Anticipatory fatigue and emotional symptoms (mainly depressive) had significant effects on cognitive and physical fatigue. Belonging to the clinical group significantly and exclusively predicted cognitive fatigue. Furthermore, anticipatory fatigue moderated between-group effects (clinical versus general) and cognitive fatigue. In brief, emotional symptoms (mainly depressive) and anticipatory fatigue significantly predicted perceived cognitive and physical fatigue. Anticipation of fatigue moderated the effect of clinical group on cognitive fatigue after controlling for depressive symptomatology.