The role of psychological interventions in asthma management

Psychological interventions can reduce psychological distress associated with certain chronic illnesses such as asthma. What is their role in managing asthma in children and adolescents? Researchers conducted a literature review and meta-analysis, including 24 studies with a total of 1,639 participants, spanning from 1978 to 2021. The participants were children and adolescents aged 5 to 18 years with asthma. Most of the trials show that asthma is associated with signs of anxiety and depression, and that psychological interventions can have beneficial effects on these symptoms as well as on asthma symptoms (such as asthma attacks and medication use). However, the results remained mixed due to clinical heterogeneity among studies, small sample sizes, and risks of bias.