title: Adolescents' psychosocial experiences living with asthma: a focus group study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma is influenced by and influences psychosocial experiences in adolescents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore psychosocial experiences and coping strategies of a sample of adolescents with asthma based on their own accounts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six focus group interviews were conducted in Central Virginia with 19 adolescents with asthma ages 12 to 18 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three general descriptions of experiences with asthma were found in the data: "Doing less with more effort," "Missing out," and "Not all bad." Adolescents' negative emotions were compounded by perceptions of others' responses. Three coping strategies, "Toughening," "Guardedness," and "Modifying" also were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings enhance understanding of particular patterns of psychosocial experiences in adolescents and lay a foundation for developmentally appropriate asthma interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family, Community and Mental Health Systems, University of Virginia, School of Nursing, McLeod Hall, PO Box 800782, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0782, USA. hr3k@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Hyekyun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wenzel
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Steeves
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010371:Pediatric Nursing; D011584:Psychology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent