How are mental representations of asthma triggers and symptoms related to interpersonal risk perceptions? A psychometric investigation of caregivers of children with asthma.

Objective: Parents and guardians (hereafter caregivers) make decisions for their children's medical care. However, many caregivers of children with asthma struggle to understand their child's illness. We used the psychometric paradigm to investigate how caregivers conceptualize, or mentally represen...

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Published in:Psychology & Health Vol. 40; no. 4; pp. 571 - 594
Main Authors: Waters, Erika A., Pachur, Thorsten, Pogge, Gabrielle, Hunleth, Jean, Webster, Gregory D., Fedele, David A., Shepperd, James A.
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd Apr2025
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Apr2025
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      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
      place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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        10.1080/08870446.2023.2244522
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        atl: How are mental representations of asthma triggers and symptoms related to interpersonal risk perceptions? A psychometric investigation of caregivers of children with asthma.
      aug:
        au:
          Waters, Erika A.
          Pachur, Thorsten
          Pogge, Gabrielle
          Hunleth, Jean
          Webster, Gregory D.
          Fedele, David A.
          Shepperd, James A.
        affil: Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
      sug:
        subj:
          Asthma Risk Factors
          Asthma Symptoms
          Asthma Psychosocial Factors
          Psychometrics Evaluation
          Interpersonal Relations
          Caregiver Attitudes Evaluation
          Attitude to Risk Evaluation
          Human
          Factor Analysis
          Funding Source
          Child
          Parents Psychosocial Factors
          Child: 6-12 years
      ab: Objective: Parents and guardians (hereafter caregivers) make decisions for their children's medical care. However, many caregivers of children with asthma struggle to understand their child's illness. We used the psychometric paradigm to investigate how caregivers conceptualize, or mentally represent, asthma triggers and symptoms and how these representations are linked to perceived asthma exacerbation risk. Methods: We asked 377 caregivers of children with asthma across the U.S. to rate 20 triggers or 20 symptoms along 15 characteristics. Caregivers also indicated their perceived risk of their child having an asthma exacerbation (hereafter interpersonal risk perceptions). Using principal components analysis, we extracted key dimensions underlying caregivers' ratings on the characteristics. Then we related the triggers' and symptoms' scores on the dimensions to caregivers' interpersonal risk perceptions. Results: Interpersonal risk perceptions were higher for triggers with high ratings for the dimensions severe and relevant, and negative affect—yet manageable, but not chronic—yet unpredictable. Risk perceptions were also higher for symptoms with high ratings for the dimensions severe and unpredictable, and relevant and common, but not self-blame or manageable despite unknown cause. Conclusion: By identifying key dimensions underlying caregivers' mental representations of asthma triggers and symptoms, these findings can inform a new approach to asthma education.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
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        tables/charts
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      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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