Abstract

MATOS, Ana Paula Soares de  and  MACHADO, Ana Cláudia Cardoso. Study of the psycho-maintenance of Asthma: the cognitions as predictors of problematic emotions and behaviours related to Asthma. Psicol. USP [online]. 2008, vol.19, n.3, pp. 393-413. ISSN 1678-5177.

In a sample of 50 asthmatic patients, either hospitalised or outpatients, we studied the relationships between dysfunctional cognitions related to Asthma and other psychological variables (emotions and behaviours) traditionally studied in cognitive-behaviour models, using specific measurement instruments of these variables for the asthmatic disease. The obtained results suggest that dysfunctional cognitions related to Asthma are predictive of problematic behaviours/emotions that occur before, during and after asthmatic crises. They suggest that dysfunctional cognitions are predictive of higher “panic/fear” symptomatology and of more negative attitudes towards asthmatic disease and treatment.

Keywords : Cognitions; Emotional states; Problematic; Panic; Asthma.