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A Case Series Evaluation of a Pilot Group Cognitive Behavioural Treatment for Children With Asthma and Anxiety

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2017

Gemma Sicouri ,
Louise Sharpe ,
Jennifer L. Hudson ,
Joanne Dudeney ,
Adam Jaffe  and
Caroline Hunt
Gemma Sicouri
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Louise Sharpe
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Jennifer L. Hudson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Joanne Dudeney
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Adam Jaffe
Affiliation:
Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Caroline Hunt*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Professor Caroline Hunt, School of Psychology, M02F Mallet Street Campus, The University of Sydney NSW 2006, Australia. Email: caroline.hunt@sydney.edu.au
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Abstract

Anxiety disorders occur at an increased rate in children with asthma; however, there is only a small evidence base to support specific psychological treatments for these children. The current study evaluated the efficacy of a pilot cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT) group intervention for children with asthma and a comorbid anxiety disorder in a case series design. Five children (aged 8–11 years old) with asthma and a comorbid anxiety disorder and their mothers took part in eight 1-hour group treatment sessions. Primary outcomes measures were anxiety diagnosis and asthma-related quality of life. Secondary outcome measures were asthma symptom control and parent quality of life associated with caring for a child with asthma. Three of the participants no longer met diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder following treatment and three different participants reported a reliable improvement in asthma-related quality of life. Two participants reported a reliable improvement in asthma symptom control. Three mothers reported an improvement in caregiver quality of life. The findings provide preliminary proof of concept evidence for the efficacy of a CBT intervention for children with asthma and clinical anxiety.

Keywords

anxietyasthmachildrenCBT

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Type
Standard Papers
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 34 , Issue 1 , April 2017 , pp. 35 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2017 

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