Bronchial asthma in adults: There is little evidence for the effectiveness of behavioral therapy and relaxation

https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(82)90094-0Get rights and content

Abstract

A review of the literature currently available suggests there is little evidence for the effectiveness of behavioral therapy and relaxation in adult bronchial asthma. The results of our review are rather disappointing: although there is some evidence that meditation and autogenic training bring about an improvement, neither relaxation nor systematic desensitization yield general beneficial effects. Operant control via biofeedback of the oscillatory resistance seems to be possible, but nothing is known about the long-term therapeutic effects of this expensive technique.

Our conclusions contradict those drawn by other authors. The explanation for this discrepancy is that most investigators fail to satisfy methodological and statistical requirements. They also fail to distinguish asthma in children from adult asthma.

References (29)

  • H Blair

    Natural history of childhood asthma: 20 yr follow-up

    Arch Dis Childh

    (1977)
  • AG Ogilvie

    Asthma: a study in prognosis of 1000 patients

    Thorax

    (1962)
  • MM Ford

    Aetiology of asthma: a review of 11 551 cases (1958–1968)

    Med J Austr

    (1968)
  • M Goldman et al.

    A simplified measurement of respiratory resistance by forced oscillation

    J Appl Physiol

    (1970)
  • Cited by (0)

    Paper presented at the NATO Conference on ‘Behavioral Medicine’, Porto Carras, Greece, June 30– July 3, 1981.

    View full text