Comparison of the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Training of Diaphragmatic Respiratory Exercises on Panic Symptoms in Women with Asthma

Asthma is a major health problem in most parts of the world. This chronic disease is influenced by psychological therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, and training, such as diaphragmatic respiratory exercises. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy and training of diaphragmatic respiratory exercises on panic symptoms in women with asthma in Lahijan, Iran, in 2020.

This quasi-experimental study was conducted on two groups using a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. A total of 60 women who were referred to the clinics or hospitals in Lahijan, Iran, in 2020, were selected through the available sampling method and randomly divided into three groups of cognitive-behavioral therapy, diaphragmatic respiratory training, and control. Pre-tests were taken from the samples before the interventions. After the interventions, post-tests were administered, and the patients were followed up one month later. The data were collected using the Albani Panic Disorder Questionnaire, designed in 1996 by Barlow and Zeinberg. The obtained data were then analyzed using SPSS software (version 22) through descriptive statistics (mean±SD and variance) and inferential statistics (variance analysis and Bonferroni test).

The results of the study showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy at the post-test (62.43±3.96) and training of diaphragmatic respiratory exercises at the follow-up phase (55.64±2.58) were more effective in improving the panic symptoms of women with asthma (P=0.0001).

The use of methods, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, and changes in the lifestyle (regular physical activity) of asthmatic patients can play a helpful role in controlling asthma panic symptoms.