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Written emotional expression as an intervention for asthma
Author(s) -
BRAY MELISSA A.,
THEODORE LEA A.,
PATWA SHAMIM S.,
MARGIANO SUZANNE G.,
ALRIC JOLIE M.,
PECK HEATHER L.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
psychology in the schools
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1520-6807
pISSN - 0033-3085
DOI - 10.1002/pits.10078
Subject(s) - asthma , psychology , spirometry , absenteeism , anxiety , clinical psychology , mental health , population , intervention (counseling) , physical therapy , medicine , psychiatry , social psychology , environmental health
This investigation employed a multiple baseline design across five participants to examine written emotional expression as an intervention to improve lung function in high school‐aged students, college students, and adults with asthma. The predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 measure of large airway functioning) and forced expiratory flow (FEF 25–75 measure of small airway functioning) were evaluated using spirometry. In addition, anxiety was measured using state and trait anxiety self‐report scales. Generally, results were effective. Individuals with asthma are at higher risk for increased hospitalization and death. For the school‐aged population, asthma is associated with increased absenteeism, restriction of various class activities such as physical education, and poor relationships with peers. Therefore, adults and children with asthma are in need of services and school psychologists appear uniquely qualified to intervene. More recently, the role of the school psychologist is diversifying with corresponding training (e.g., wellness, consultation, prevention, assessment and treatment of health issues) in the areas of health‐related disorders that involve a psychological component. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 40: 193–207, 2003.