Childhood asthma: paternal critical attitude and father-child interaction

The study investigated paternal critical attitude (CA) and negative father-child communication in families with an asthmatic child and in controls. Twenty-seven children with bronchial asthma (6-13 yr) and 23 healthy children with their fathers participated in the project. Fathers were asked to describe their child (Five Minute Speech Sample; FMSS). Additionally, father and child discussed a mutual problem (Problem Discussion; PD). Tape recordings were taken. Critical attitude (CA) was assessed from the fathers' responses during the FMSS. Negative verbal behavior during PD was coded for father and child. During the FMSS, significantly more fathers of the asthmatic children than of the controls showed CA. During the PD, fathers of the asthmatic children made significantly more critical remarks than their controls. Significantly more long sequences of negative verbal communication occurred in father-child dyads with an asthmatic child than in the control dyads. No significant relationship was found between either the fathers' attitudes or amount of negative verbal communication and the children's severity of asthma, compliance, or IgE status.