The association between psychological factors and asthma control – the impact of coping styles on clinical outcomes

The objective of this study was to examine the role of coping strategies in adults with asthma, focusing on the impact of stress and coping patterns on the clinical presentation and level of disease control. The focus was on identifying psychological factors contributing to more effective asthma management, emphasizing the influence of adaptive and non-adaptive coping strategies. The study included 150 adult patients diagnosed with asthma according to GINA guidelines. All participants completed a demographic questionnaire, self-assessment tools such as the Asthma Control Test (ACT), and the COPE questionnaire designed to record their usual coping strategies for stress. Statistical analysis included t-tests for group comparisons and ANOVA to evaluate the relationship between different coping styles and clinical characteristics of the disease. Patients with more severe clinical presentations tended to rely more on non-adaptive coping styles, particularly behavioral disengagement (t = 2.78, p = 0.006). In contrast, patients with poorer asthma control showed greater use of active coping strategies (F = 3.96, p = 0.021). Emotional venting demonstrated a non-significant trend toward higher scores among patients with more severe disease (t = 1.88, p = 0.062). These findings suggest the importance of aligning coping strategies with individual clinical profile as part of a personalized approach to asthma management. Patients with more severe disease presentations were more likely to use non-adaptive coping strategies, which are associated with poorer disease control, whereas those with milder presentations tended to apply problem-focused coping The results highlight the importance of psychological factors as potential treatable traits in asthma care Integrating psychological assessment and support into multidisciplinary treatment models could enhance asthma control and overall quality of life. Keywords: coping strategies, asthma, psychological factors, disease management, clinical outcomes. not applicable.