Development and Pilot Randomized Trial of a Coping Skills Intervention for Low-SES Latinx Families of Children with Asthma

Psychosocial stress contributes to asthma disparities for low-SES Latinx children, but primary and secondary control coping by children and parents is associated with better psychosocial and asthma outcomes. Therefore, we developed and pilot tested Adapt 2 Asthma (A2A), a family-based coping and asthma self-management intervention for low-SES Latinx families.

Children, parents, and primary care providers (N=16) participated in five focus groups to refine A2A's content and delivery. Subsequently, families of children ages 9-12 with asthma (N=24) were recruited from primary care clinics and randomly assigned to receive A2A or enhanced usual care (EUC).

Based on focus groups, A2A was refined to address feasibility, Latinx-specific cultural factors, and provider-family gaps. Results of the pilot RCT showed that 92% of families completed all sessions of A2A, and there were high levels of satisfaction with and fidelity to A2A. There were no statistically significant differences between the A2A and EUC groups at 3-month follow-up, although there were small, non-significant effects favoring A2A on parent-reported asthma control, parent secondary control coping, and emergency department visits.

We found evidence of acceptability, feasibility, and potential benefits of A2A for low-SES Latinx families. Findings provide guidance for future implementation in primary care.