Screening Children with Asthma for Psychosocial Adjustment Problems: A Tool for Health Care Professionals

Abstract

Objective. To develop a brief questionnaire for health care professionals to use in screening children with asthma for psychosocial adjustment problems. Method. The initial version of the Childhood Asthma Resiliency Questionnaire (CARQ) listed 85 items focusing on self-esteem, medical fears, peer relationships, family relations, stress, and depression. The number of items was reduced after focus groups and pilot testing. In pilot tests, 100 children with asthma completed the CARQ. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Another sample of 73 children with mild asthma was also obtained. Results. The total CARQ score was significantly correlated (p < 0.001) with Total Problems, Internalizing, and Externalizing Problems on the CBCL. Children with more hospitalizations and more days of school missed from asthma had significantly higher scores on the CARQ compared to children with less functional morbidity. Conclusion. The CARQ appears to be a useful brief measure to help clinicians identify children at risk for problems adjusting to asthma.

Keywords:

• resiliency
• asthma
• psychosocial adjustment