Cognitive behavioural intervention in bronchial asthma

The aim of the present study was to find out the efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy, as an adjunct to standard pharmacotherapy in bronchial asthma. An experimental design with pre- and post-therapy assessments was adopted. The Medicine Out-patient Department of St. John's Medical College and Hospital, and Department of Clinical Psychology, NIMHANS, Bangalore. Ten asthma patients who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria, matched for use of drugs, were sequentially allotted to two groups: a) experimental group, who were exposed to cognitive behaviour therapy along with standard pharmacotherapy, b) control group, who were exposed to standard pharmacotherapy alone. Cognitive behaviour therapy included 15 individual sessions consisting of asthma education, Jacobson progressive muscle relaxation (JPMR), behavioural techniques, cognitive restructuring, cognitive coping skills and behavioural counseling to significant others. The measures used for pre- and post-therapy assessments were--Asthma symptom checklist, asthma diary, state trait anxiety inventory-Y1 and Y2, Beck depression inventory, asthma quality of life questionnaire and peak expiratory flow rate. There was significant decrease in asthma symptoms, anxiety and depression; and significant increase in quality of life in the experimental group (p < 0.05) at the post-assessment. The control group did not show any significant change at the post-assessment. Cognitive behaviour therapy helps in improving the management of asthma.