Evaluating the role of mindfulness in terms of asthma-related outcomes and depression and anxiety symptoms among individuals with asthma

• Published in: Psychology, health & medicine health & medicine, 2019-02, Vol.24 (2), p.155-166
• Main Authors: Kraemer, Kristen M., McLeish, Alison
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age differences; Aged; Anxiety; Anxiety - epidemiology; Asthma; Asthma - epidemiology; Comorbidity; depression; Depression - epidemiology; Female; Humans; Life control; Male; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Mindfulness; Mindfulness - statistics & numerical data; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Panic attacks; Quality of Life; Race; Self report; Smoking; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1354-8506; 1465-3966; 1465-3966
• DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2018.1529326

The aim of the current study was to examine the unique role of mindfulness skills in terms of: (1) asthma-related outcomes (i.e., asthma control, asthma quality of life); (2) depression symptoms; and (3) anxiety symptomatology (i.e., anxiety sensitivity, panic symptoms, global anxiety) among non-smoking adults with current asthma. Participants were 61 (61.9% female; M age  = 34.72 years, SD = 13.58, range = 18-65) non-smoking adults with current asthma who completed a battery of self-report measures. Results indicated that, after controlling for the effects of race and age, greater ability to describe present moment experiences was significantly associated with better asthma-related quality of life and lower levels of anxiety symptoms. Though mindfulness skills together were associated with lower levels of panic symptoms, there were no significant individual associations between specific skills and panic symptoms. Greater nonjudgment of present moment experiences was associated with lower levels of anxiety and anxiety sensitivity. Greater nonreactivity was significantly associated with lower levels of depression symptoms and anxiety sensitivity. Lastly, a greater ability to observe present moment experiences was associated with lower levels of anxiety sensitivity. Mindfulness was not significantly associated with asthma control. These findings suggest that it may be useful to target the mindfulness skills of describing, nonjudgment, and nonreactivity among individuals with asthma, particularly those with elevated levels of anxiety and depression, in order to improve psychological and asthma-related outcomes.