The experience of paediatric asthma is associated with increased stress and emotional difficulties for both the child and family. The current study aimed to qualitatively explore parents’ views of their child's asthma experience, from initial diagnosis onwards, to enhance our understanding of how families emotionally adjust and adapt to the diagnosis and management of asthma. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 parents of children (<18 years) with physician-diagnosed asthma. Questionnaires were used to capture demographic information and anxiety symptom status of parents (State Trait Anxiety Inventory — Form Y [STAI-Y1/Y2]) and children (Spence Children's Anxiety Scale — Parent reported [SCAS-P]). Grounded theory was used to analyse the results. Analysis saw three themes emerge as important in understanding the impact of asthma on the family: (1) the experience of obtaining an asthma diagnosis, (2) parents’ belief in their competence to manage asthma, and (3) parents’ behaviour in response to the asthma. A model was developed that posits adaptive parental adjustment to asthma is determined in part by the circumstances around the time of diagnosis, the level of knowledge and skills, and the controllability of the asthma. This model can guide medical and allied health professionals to specific areas where intervention may reduce stress and emotional difficulties associated with asthma and its management for affected families.

中文翻译：

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了解小儿哮喘对家庭的影响：理论模型的发展

小儿哮喘的经历与儿童和家庭的压力增加和情绪困难有关。目前的研究旨在从最初的诊断开始，定性地探索父母对孩子哮喘经历的看法，以增强我们对家庭如何在情绪上调整和适应哮喘的诊断和管理的理解。对 17 名医生诊断为哮喘儿童（<18 岁）的父母进行了半结构化访谈。问卷用于获取父母（状态特质焦虑量表 - Y 表 [STAI-Y1/Y2]）和儿童（Spence 儿童焦虑量表 - 父母报告 [SCAS-P]）的人口统计信息和焦虑症状状态。采用扎根理论对结果进行分析。分析发现，三个主题对于理解哮喘对家庭的影响非常重要：（1）获得哮喘诊断的经验，（2）父母对他们管理哮喘能力的信念，以及（3）父母的反应行为到哮喘。开发了一个模型，假设父母对哮喘的适应性调整部分取决于诊断时间、知识和技能水平以及哮喘的可控性。该模型可以将医疗和专职医疗人员引导至特定领域，在这些领域进行干预可以减少与哮喘相关的压力和情绪困难以及对受影响家庭的管理。(3)父母应对哮喘的行为。开发了一个模型，假设父母对哮喘的适应性调整部分取决于诊断时间、知识和技能水平以及哮喘的可控性。该模型可以将医疗和专职医疗人员引导至特定领域，在这些领域进行干预可以减少与哮喘相关的压力和情绪困难以及对受影响家庭的管理。(3)父母应对哮喘的行为。开发了一个模型，假设父母对哮喘的适应性调整部分取决于诊断时间、知识和技能水平以及哮喘的可控性。该模型可以将医疗和专职医疗人员引导至特定领域，在这些领域进行干预可以减少与哮喘相关的压力和情绪困难以及对受影响家庭的管理。