Parental self-efficacy and morbidity in pediatric asthma

This study investigated the relationship between parental self-efficacy and asthma-related morbidity. Participants included 139 parents of children (a ges 5-8) who were diagnosed with asthma and were primarily from lower-incom e and minority backgrounds. Parents completed a 22-item measure of self-eff icacy, factor analysis was conducted on this measure, yielding two factors: learned helplessness and self-efficacy. Correlational analyses indicated t hat higher scores on the learned helplessness factor were significantly rel ated to increased asthma-related morbidity for the majority of morbidity va riables. The self-efficacy factor was significantly related so days of scho ol missed. Regression analyses conducted with the factor scores and the mor bidity variables provide further support that the learned helplessness fact or accounts for a significant amount of the variance in asthma morbidity fo r many of the variables studied, while the self-efficacy factor was related to only a few. Although improving health outcomes of children with asthma is a multifaceted process, the results of this study suggest that targeting parental self-efficacy, particularly with parents who ale experiencing hig h levels of perceived learned helplessness, may be a helpful component of a n intervention program with this population.