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Secure Base Representations in Children With Asthma: Links With Symptoms, Family Asthma Management, and Cytokine Regulation
Author(s) -
Ehrlich Katherine B.,
Miller Gregory E.,
Shalowitz Madeleine,
Story Rachel,
Levine Cynthia,
Williams Deanna,
Le Van,
Chen Edith
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.13098
Subject(s) - socioemotional selectivity theory , asthma , psychology , medicine , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , immunology
Children's perceptions of caregivers as a secure base have been linked with socioemotional outcomes, but little is known about connections to physical health. We examined whether secure base representations are associated with children's symptoms, family management strategies, and inflammatory processes in children with asthma. Participants included 308 children (ages 8–17) and one parent. Children completed a blood draw to measure asthma‐related immune functions and reported on perceptions of their mothers as a secure base and their asthma symptoms. Dyads completed interviews about asthma management. Analyses revealed that children's secure base perceptions were associated with better family asthma management and lower Type 2 T‐helper cell cytokine production. These findings suggest that secure base representations may be protective for children with asthma.