Exploration of the Influence of Factors Identified in the Literature on School-aged Children's Emotional Responses to Asthma

Abstract

Approximately 6.3 million US children suffer from asthma. The purpose of this study was to explore factors on school-aged children's emotional responses to asthma, N=85, ages 6-12. Correlations included Asthma related child emotional functioning QOL and (a) asthma severity, r=-0.30, p<0.01, (b) child internalizing behaviors, r=-0.26, p<0.05, (c) child externalizing behaviors r=-0.43, p<0.001; Caregiver emotional functioning QOL and (a) asthma severity, r=-0.39, p<0.001, (b) child internalizing behaviors, r=-0.22, p<0.05, (c) child externalizing behaviors, r=-0.25; p<0.05. Multiple regression analysis revealed that asthma severity and child externalizing problems accounted for 26% of the variance in asthma related child emotional functioning QOL, F (4, 79)=7.051, p<0.001 (asthma severity, β=-0.31, p<0.01; child externalizing problem behaviors, β=-0.43, p<0.001). Findings imply that asthma research should consider problem behaviors of school-aged children when addressing asthma related emotional functioning QOL.

Keywords: asthma; emotional functioning quality of life; externalizing behaviors; internalizing behaviors; school age children.