Sustained Effects From a School-Based Intervention Pilot Study for Children With Asthma and Anxiety.
Colleen McGovern, Kimberly Arcoleo, Bernadette Melnyk
PMID 32588717WHAT IT FOUND
In 32 schoolchildren with asthma and anxiety symptoms, a school-based asthma education and coping-skills program improved anxiety, confidence in managing asthma, and asthma control.
It did not change emergency visits or school absences. No control group means effects are uncertain.
Key findings
01Child-reported anxiety and caregiver-reported behavioral symptoms decreased significantly over the study period.
02Children's confidence in managing stress, confidence in managing asthma, asthma beliefs, and asthma control increased significantly over the study period.
03Among children prescribed an asthma controller medication, reported missed doses decreased significantly over the study period.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
There was no comparison group, so changes cannot be confidently attributed to the program rather than time, attention, or natural variation. Only 32 children were analysed, so the study is small and not definitive. The significance threshold was set at .10 rather than .05 because the sample was small, which makes findings easier to call significant. The program combined asthma education and cognitive behavioral coping skills, so the contribution of each part cannot be separated. Children already receiving behavioral health care were excluded, so the study says little about children in mental health treatment. The study did not measure lung function, academic performance, or missed instructional time.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the 6-week improvements as proof that the program works. The study had no control group and used a .10 significance threshold, so time, attention, or chance cannot be ruled out.