Differences in resilience and coping styles among women with asthma, dyspepsia, and the control

Ljiljana Majnaric, Mile Volarić, Nikola Volarić, Renata Božinović, Ante Lončar, Ivana Slišković Muha, Renata Grgurić, Ema Ivković

Keywords: resilience , coping styles , women , asthma, dyspepsia, the healthy control

Background:

Asthma and dyspepsia, often found in women of reproductive age, are linked to both psychological factors and immune dysregulation, indicating a potential connection between mood disorders and immune system function.

Research questions:

Are there differences in psychiatric or psychological disorders, lifestyles, resilience, and coping styles between women diagnosed with asthma or dyspepsia and those without these disorders, and among those with any of these diagnoses?

Method:

The study involved 110 women, ages 19 to 46, an average of 31.71 (SD 7.40). The participants were recruited during their appointments or by invitation from the Health Center Osijek and the Pulmonology and the Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinics. There were 40 (36%) participants with asthma, 22 (20%) with dyspepsia, 16 (15%) with both diagnoses, and 32 (29%) of participants had no comorbidities. Data on lifestyles and the diagnoses of psychiatric or psychological disorders were collected through interviews. Participants' resilience and coping styles were assessed using standard questionnaires (Resilience and Brief COPE). Chi-square tests and Welch ANOVA were used to test differences in characteristics between the groups. Statistically significant results were followed by the Games-Howell post-hoc test.

Results:

There were no statistically significant differences in psychiatric or psychological disorders and lifestyles between the four groups of participants. Resilience was more pronounced among participants without comorbidities, in comparison with participants with dyspepsia 3.54 (0.8 ) vs. 2.83 (0.62) (P=0.006), posthoc (p < .01). Among coping strategies, only positive reframing showed significant difference among the groups (p=0.009). This strategy was more pronounced among participants with asthma 7.2 (1.14), compared to those with dyspepsia 5.82 (1.94) (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

Results indicate a low capacity of women with dyspepsia to cope with psychological distress and suggest intervention strategies.

Points for discussion:

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