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.
Recommended Citation
Fleischer, Nicole, "Understanding the Comorbidity of Asthma and Anxiety in Childhood: Characteristics, Vulnerabilities, and Treatment Implications" (2020). PCOM Psychology Dissertations. 533.
https://digitalcommons.pcom.edu/psychology_dissertations/533