Investigating maladaptive cognitive biases in anxious asthma patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating maladaptive cognitive biases in patients with asthma and comorbid anxiety
IRAS ID
210566
Contact name
Hasina Khatun
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
Publication of this data is currently deferred.
Research summary
Anxiety is characterized by feelings of excessive fear, worry and distress, arising from dysfunctional interpretation of events based on irrational beliefs and cognitive bias. Literature has consistently reported strong association between anxiety and asthma and compromising outcome despite availability of optimal treatment. \n\nThe study is focused with two constructs that contribute to the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of anxiety; attentional bias and intolerance to uncertainty (IU). It is postulated by the attentional control theory (Eysenck, Derakshan, Santos & Calvo, 2007) that an anxious person will have increased attentional bias towards negative valence stimuli, when presented with threat/reward stimuli it is appraised and prioritised. Consequently, asthmatic symptoms can be appraised as threatening thus inducing anxiety or depression. Limited research has reported asthma to be associated with impaired attentional functioning, further research is needed to explore the association between cognitive and neurocognitive threat responses and perception of asthma symptom severity. The second construct IU is a construct that is implicit in anxiety models, defined as fear of the unknown (Carleton, 2012). The possibility of a negative and undesirable event occurring, such as an asthmatic episode, irrespective of actually happening heightens fear and this perpetuates the degree of anxiety The research will inform development of tailor specific psychological intention for asthma population. \n\n46 patients with asthma will complete computerized-cognitive and self-report measures of anxiety, illness perception, quality of life, control, attention and IU at three time-points of asthma severity. \n\nIn line with the above, we predict decreased perceived symptoms, measured by Asthma Control Questionnaire, will be accompanied by improved task performance on the Attention Network Test across time using the same participants at various points of asthma severity. \n\nA secondary prediction is that Asthma Control and Quality of Life will be associated with level of Attention, Anxiety, Illness Perception and Intolerance to Uncertainty. \n
REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/1823
Date of REC Opinion
21 Oct 2016
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion