Coping experiences of school-age children with asthma and their primary caregivers within Walsh's family resilience...

Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases among children worldwide. Its recurrent exacerbations and long-term caregiving demands exert significant psychological and physical burdens on both affected children and their caregivers. Family resilience plays a crucial role in alleviating these burdens and promoting adaptive coping; However, existing research has paid limited attention to families affected by childhood asthma, and few studies have explored the specific disease-coping processes of school-age children and their primary caregivers from a dual parent-child perspective.

To explore the illness-related coping experiences of school-age children with asthma and their primary caregivers within Walsh's family resilience framework.

A descriptive phenomenological design was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 36 participants from 18 families in a children's hospital in China, and the data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method.

Four overarching themes and fourteen subthemes emerged: (1) Impact of adversity, (2) Internal family support, (3) External family support, (4) Transformation growth. The findings revealed that a stable belief system and sustained emotional support are key factors in facilitating positive family adaptation.

This study highlights the importance of a dyadic management approach involving both children with asthma and their primary caregivers in the process of family resilience.

Healthcare professionals should assess families' resilience stages and provide targeted support in beliefs, roles, and communication to promote adaptation and growth.