Date of Submission

2020

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

Department Chair

Robert A DiTomasso, PhD, ABPP

First Advisor

Elizabeth Gosch PhD, ABPP

Second Advisor

Susan M Panichelli Mindel, PhD

Third Advisor

Phil Kendall, PhD

Abstract

This study examined potential differences in youth (aged 7-17 years, 76% Caucasian, 52% female) with comorbid asthma and anxiety compared to youth with anxiety without asthma who received cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) alone, pharmacotherapy alone, the combination of pharmacotherapy or placebo pill in the Child/Adolescent Multimodal Study. Two groups were compared on negative self-talk; number of physical symptoms; parental anxiety; content of their worries; and presence of panic, generalized anxiety, and separation anxiety disorders across treatment conditions. Findings indicated that youth with asthma and anxiety were more likely to exhibit higher rates of negative self-talk than youth without asthma, possibly related to the realistic nature of asthma-related anxiety. This study also demonstrated that youth with asthma and anxiety demonstrated similar responses to traditional CBT when compared to youth without asthma. Given the large sample size, these findings support that traditional CBT and pharmacotherapy for anxiety may be an effective treatment for youth with mild to moderate asthma. Further research is needed to determine the efficacy of traditional CBT for youth with severe asthma.

Included in

Psychology Commons

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