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The family of the asthmatic child
C Baron1, P Veilleux, A Lamarre
1Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal, Quebec.
Insights
Asthmatic children with anxiety and dependence traits used more cortisone medication and lived in cohesive families. This suggests a reciprocal influence between childhood asthma, personality, and family dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Clinical Child Psychology
- Pediatric Asthma Research
Background:
- Childhood asthma is a persistent, unpredictable condition requiring significant medical care.
- Family dynamics and parental influence are recognized factors in pediatric health outcomes.
- Emotional and behavioral problems in children can be linked to pathological family settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate associations between personality traits, family structure, and medication use in asthmatic children.
- To explore the reciprocal influence between childhood asthma and family environment.
- To identify high-risk subgroups for early intervention.
Main Methods:
- Clinical study of 34 asthmatic children (ages 10-15) at a specialized pediatric outpatient clinic.
- Utilized clinical scores with inter-rater agreement for child and family evaluations.
- Correlational analysis of personality traits, family cohesion, and cortisone medication use.
Main Results:
- Strong associations found between specific personality traits and excessive medication use.
- Significant links identified between personality traits and family structure.
- Children with high anxiety and dependence, regardless of asthma severity, exhibited higher cortisone use and lived in highly cohesive families.
Conclusions:
- Childhood asthma may involve a reciprocal influence between the child's psychological state and family dynamics.
- Highly cohesive families may be associated with increased medication use in anxious, dependent asthmatic children.
- Prospective studies on identified high-risk subgroups can inform early intervention strategies for pediatric asthma.
Abstract:
The authors report clinical study of 34 asthmatic children between the ages of ten and 15, followed at a specialized outpatient clinic of a large pediatric hospital in Montreal. Evaluation of the children and their families involved the use of clinical scores with inter-rater agreement. The study found strong associations between certain personality traits and an excessive use of medication, and between personality traits and family structure. Regardless of the severity of their asthma, children with high levels of anxiety and dependence were more likely to live with highly cohesive families and to use greater quantities of cortisone than children with better adapted personality structures. Pathological family settings are known to cause more emotional and behaviour problems in children. We suggest there is a reciprocal influence, and we consider the effects on the family of an early childhood disease that is persistent, worrisome, unpredictable, and necessitates repeated hospitalization. Prospective studies of the high-risk subgroups identified in this study could facilitate early intervention for asthmatic children and their families.