Psychologists’ research uncovering
BY JULIE COHEN
the link between stress and asthma is leading
to better interventions for asthma sufferers.
sthma attacks often bring with them more than constricted breathing. For many
patients, the shortness of breath and wheezing also trigger heightened anxiety,
says psychologist and certified asthma educator Daphne Koinis-Mitchell, PhD.
“The whole idea of not being able to breathe is, understandably, very frightening to children and
their parents, and fear usually influences anxiety and treatment decisions,” says Koinis-Mitchell,
associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Brown University and director of the university’s
Community Asthma Program.
Of course, as experts in helping patients overcome anxiety, psychologists have long played a
role in helping patients manage their asthma, teaching them techniques to avoid possible triggers,
monitor their symptoms and use their medications properly. Now, new research by psychologists is
offering a better understanding of the link between stress and our airways, and exploring new asthma
treatments, including breathing retraining, biofeedback and cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT).
“It’s really an interdisciplinary approach that’s needed,” and psychologists can help with chronic
disease management, Koinis-Mitchell says.
Asthma, the chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, affects at least 22 million Americans,
according to the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program of the National Heart, Lung, and