Family Functioning and Perceived Social Support in Adolescents with Asthma

Th e main purpose of the study was to investigate if there were any diff erences in family functioning across the adaptability and cohesion dimensions between adolescents with asthma and their healthy peers. Another aim was to fi nd out how adolescents with asthma perceived their social support compared to healthy adolescents. The following scales were used: Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale III, Perceived Social Support from Friends and from Family, Locus of Control Scale, and Birleson Depression Self-Report Scale. Th e study group comprised 65 adolescents with asthma aged 11-19 years and the control group consisted of 49 healthy adolescents. Th ere were no signifi cant diff erences in adaptability and cohesion, depressive characteristics and perceived social support from friends and from family between the groups. Th e only significant difference between the groups was in locus of control, with adolescents with asthma having a more external locus of control, i.e. they believed they were less likely to infl uence things and events. However, they did not diff er from their healthy peers when they assessed the power to change or emotional relations within their families. We presume that perceived social support from family and friends may have moderated possible negative eff ects of illness.