title: Dating relationships in college students with childhood-onset asthma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current study investigated whether differences existed in dating anxiety and fear of intimacy between individuals with childhood-onset asthma and individuals without a chronic illness. Analyses were also conducted to determine if dating anxiety or fear of intimacy were predictors of health-related quality of life in individuals with asthma and healthy controls. Additionally, potential gender differences in dating anxiety and fear of intimacy in individuals with childhood-onset asthma were explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  College undergraduates at least 17 years of age who self-identified as having childhood asthma were randomly matched by age and gender to healthy control participants. Participants completed a demographic form, the Dating Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, the Fear of Intimacy Scale, and the SF-36 Health Survey, a measure of health-related quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between self-identified participants with asthma and matched healthy controls on the Dating Anxiety Scale or Fear of Intimacy Scale. However, dating anxiety was a significant predictor of mental health-related quality of life in participants with asthma but not in matched health controls. Fear of intimacy was not a significant predictor of mental or physical health-related quality of life in individuals with asthma. In addition, women with asthma endorsed significantly more dating anxiety and lower physical health-related quality of life than males with asthma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  College students with asthma appear to experience similar levels of dating anxiety and fear of intimacy than healthy college students; however, their anxiety about dating may have a larger effect on health-related quality of life than healthy individuals. Additional examination of dating and interpersonal relationships among individuals with asthma appears warranted, particularly as it concerns possible gender differences in individuals with childhood-onset asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74075, USA. angelica.eddington@okstate.edu
authors.forename: Angelica R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Eddington
authors.forename: Larry L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Fedele
authors.forename: Jamie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Ashley N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Junghans
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001249:Asthma / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003380:Courtship / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult