The role of parental coping in children with asthma's psychological well-being and asthma-related quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
The primary purpose of our study was to examine the relationship between parental coping and children with asthma's psychological well-being and asthma-related quality of life (ArQL).


METHODS
Eighty-nine mother-child dyads with a child with asthma ranging in age from 8 to 12-years old participated. During baseline and 6 month follow-up visits, children completed questionnaires assessing anxiety and ArQL; mothers completed questionnaires assessing coping, ArQL, an index of recent stressors, and demographic/medical history forms.


RESULTS
Mothers who relied more on active coping strategies at baseline had children with better ArQL 6 months later, and those who relied on more avoidance coping strategies at baseline had children with poorer ArQL of life 6 months later.


CONCLUSIONS
These results reveal that maternal coping plays an important role in the ArQL of children with asthma. Implications for interventions aimed at improving the physical and mental health of children with asthma are discussed.
Sales
Jessica
J
Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. jmcderm@emory.edu
Fivush
Robyn
R
Teague
Gerald W
GW
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires