Living with Asthma - Experiences of Coping, Stress, and Distress v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Do acceptance, awareness, and valued-action predict asthma control and mental well-being, and are these relationships mediated by self-efficacy?
IRAS ID
235633
Contact name
Ernest Wagner
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Could mindfulness, and values-based living improve asthma management for patients attending secondary-care asthma clinics?
The proposed project will investigate psychological factors relating to the clinical management of asthma in secondary care. Global and national guidelines on asthma highlight that patients with severe or difficult to treat asthma are at greater risk of mental health problems. We aim to find whether mental health problems are associated with more difficulties managing asthma. Furthermore, we aim to investigate psychological processes, namely mindfulness and a values-based approach, which are evidenced to improve both mental health and disease management in other chronic conditions. Our project will inform whether these processes could be helpful additions to existing clinical asthma management strategies.
The study will measure all variables using self-report questionnaires which have been previously used in research and deemed useful and valid by peer-reviewed scientific literature. All questions are written in lay language and do not require any previous knowledge of mindfulness or values based approaches, or any other aspects of the study.
Patients aged 18+ with diagnosed asthma will be recruited during routine respiratory clinic appointments, by their own clinician who will offer a questionnaire pack. Patients who opt in will take home the pack, which includes a letter from their clinician inviting participation, study information, consent form, and questionnaires. The pack will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. Patients will be encouraged to complete within 7 days, and return using the postage-paid envelope provided. Those who have consented to follow-up will be sent the same questionnaire in six months.
Statistics will be performed on anonymised data, and results from the study will be submitted as a doctoral thesis for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Edinburgh. We also aim to publish in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NW/0309
Date of REC Opinion
19 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion