The Role of Maternal Illness Perceptions in Perceived Asthma Symptoms in School-Aged Children

Objective. To examine the unique contribution of perceptions held by mothers about their children’s asthma in relation to the symptoms as reported by their children. Methods. Families with a child diagnosed with asthma participating in a larger smoking prevention study were invited to participate. For all, 89 children (mean age 10.1 years) and 87 mothers questionnaire and lung function data during home visits were provided. The main outcome of this study involved asthma symptoms as measured by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Mothers’ and children’s reports of symptoms, as well as the lung function parameter of percentage of predicted Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (% of predicted FEV1), were analyzed in relation to maternal illness perceptions. Results. Mothers’ perceptions of illness were not associated with % of predicted FEV1. However, while controlling for gender and children’s baseline asthma symptoms, four out of eight mothers’ perceptions of illness (i.e., identity, consequences, c...