Childhood Asthma: A Stress-Related Illness? More Myth than Fact

Abstract

This study investigated and compared psychological functioning in children with and without asthma. A total of 110 children (age range 10–12 years) and their parents participated. Eighty participants had a history of asthma. The remaining 30 participants had no history of asthma or chronic illness and formed the control group. Psychological functioning among both children and parents was assessed using the Revised Manifest Anxiety Scale, the Parenting Stress Index and the Childhood Assessment Schedule. The asthma and control groups were also compared on sex, age and socio-economic status. Results indicate that children with asthma did not show greater anxiety, psychological adjustment difficulties and parent-child relationship problems compared with those without chronic illness. These findings will inform our understanding of childhood asthma and hence enable us to redesign assessment and intervention methods in order to enhance the management of this disease.