Illness uncertainty, attributional style, and psychological adjustment in older adolescents and young adults with asthma

Examined psychological adjustment in a college sample of older adolescents and young adults (n = 49) with histories of childhood asthma. A substantial number of subjects evidenced clinically significant levels of overall distress. In addition, greater perceived asthma uncertainty and increased stable attributions for negative events were significantly associated with poorer psychological adjustment after controlling for demographic and disease variables. Further analyses revealed a moderating influence of uncertainty on attribution-adjustment relationships. These findings provide initial support for a cognitive diathesis-stress view of adjustment in long-standing asthma. Results also support a growing body of evidence suggesting that the focus of efforts to enhance adjustment to asthma need to be expanded beyond childhood and early adolescence.