The Influence Of Parent-Child Conflict And Stressful Experiences On The Health Of Youth With Asthma

THE INFLUENCE OF PARENT-CHILD CONFLICT AND STRESSFULEXPERIENCES ON THE HEALTH OF YOUTH WITH ASTHMAbyERIN THERESE TOBINMay 2013Advisor: Dr. Richard SlatcherMajor: Psychology (Clinical)Degree: Master of ArtsAttaining a clear picture of everyday family interactions is essential for understandinghow family stress and conflict adversely affects children’s health, especially in the context ofchronic illness. Using a naturalistic observation sampling method called the ElectronicallyActivated Recorder (EAR), we sought to investigate the effects of daily interpersonal conflictsand parental stress on pediatric asthma outcomes. We collected data from 81 children, aged 10 to17 (M age = 12.88), and their primary caregiver as part of a larger study. Each child completed apulmonary function test and self-report questionnaires of asthma symptoms. Asthma-relatedmedical information was abstracted from their medical records. The Adult and Parent UCLALife Stress Interview (LSI) assessed acute stress as the number of acutely stressful events in the past 6 months. Of these 81 participants, 45 children wore the EAR for 4 days. Trained researchassistants coded the EAR files using the Everyday Child Home Observations (ECHO) CodingSystem for instances of interpersonal conflict (e.g., arguing, fighting, yelling) and asthmasymptoms (e.g., coughing, wheezing). EAR-observed parent-child conflict (r = .36, p < .05) andEAR-observed family environment conflict (r = .32, p < .05) was positively associated withyouth reported asthma symptoms. Further, EAR-observed wheezing coded was positively