The Effect on Asthma in Children of Experimental Separation from the Family

Abstract

This experiment evaluated the effects on asthma in children of altering their psychological environment. Twenty-five asthmatic children were studied medically and psychologically during periods in which they lived with their families and during an experimental separation in which they had no contact with their families but were cared for in their own homes by a substitute parent. It was predicted that 13 children would respond positively (show improvement) and that 12 would respond negatively (show no improvement in asthma) to separation. For the predicted positive group, all measurements of asthma indicated a statistically significant decrease in symptoms during the period of family separation followed by an increase in symptoms upon the family's return. For the group of 12 predicted negatives, only one (history of daily asthma) of four measurements suggested improvement during separation. It appears that a brief, specially designed, diagnostic interview may be useful in assessing the relevance of psychological variables to asthma.