Mindfulness and asthma symptoms: A study among college students
Abstract
Introduction Given the known link between asthma and stress as well as the link between mindfulness and stress, we explore the possible association between trait mindfulness and asthma-related diagnosis and symptoms with a cross-sectional study. Method In 2014, we surveyed a sample of college students in their freshman year, from a public university in Shanghai, China. We used three multilevel logistic regressions to estimate the association between trait mindfulness (measured by Mindful Awareness Attention Scale, MAAS) and self-report of ever having an asthma diagnosis, ever having had persistent dry cough, and ever having had wheezing symptoms. Age, gender, household registration status, and the frequency of smog in the respondent's hometown were used as control variables in the study. The home province of the student was used as the cluster variable in the multilevel models. Results Among the 1392 students in the analysis sample (mean age = 18.3), 47 (3.4%) self-reported an asthma diagnosis, 251 (18.1%) reported having had persistent dry cough, and 100 (7.2%) reported having had wheezing symptoms. A one-unit increase in MAAS is negatively associated with having a self-reported asthma diagnosis (Odds Ratio (OR): 0.662, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.452, 0.969, p = 0.034), having had persistent dry cough (OR: 0.658, 95% CI: 0.545, 0.795, p Discussion This is the first study to suggest a link between trait mindfulness and asthma. Our finding provides evidence that people wi…
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Higher global mindfulness has been linked to better asthma-related quality of life and higher odds of asthma diagnosis, persistent dry cough, and wheezing in adolescents and college students.
“Higher levels of global mindfulness have also been shown to be associated with better asthma-related quality of life and an increase in the odds of having an asthma diagnosis, persistent dry cough, and wheezing among adolescents and college students (Cillessen, van de Ven, & Karremans, 2017; Shi et al., 2017).”
From Evaluating the role of mindfulness in terms of asthma-related outcomes and depression and anxiety symptoms among individuals with asthma. (2019) · cites this paper as Shi et al., 2017
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“Cross-sectional studies have found that higher trait mindfulness is associated with reduced asthma symptoms (Kraemer and McLeish, 2019; Shi et al., 2018), and participants randomised to an 8-week MBSR course (vs.”
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“…of global mindfulness have also been shown to be associated with better asthma-related quality of life and an increase in the odds of having an asthma diagnosis, persistent dry cough, and wheezing among adolescents and college students (Cillessen, van de Ven, & Karremans, 2017; Shi et al., 2017).”
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A current overview of the psychological aspects of asthma in adults
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“37 That is, the ability to be intentionally aware and process present moment experiences in healthy, nonjudgmental, and non-reactionary ways explained lower levels of respiratory health problems compared to being highly judgmental or reactive to present moment observations and awareness.”
Trait mindfulness is negatively related to physical health symptoms over time.
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- Authors
- Shi, L., Liang, D., Gao, Y., Huang, J., Nolan, C., Mulvaney, A., Poole, T., & Zhang, H.
- Affiliations
- Clemson University (US)
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (CN)
- Fudan University (CN)
- Wenzhou Medical University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Gao, Yu
- Venue
- Journal of Asthma
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2017-05-01
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 101-105
- ISSN
- 0277-0903 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-4303
- OpenAlex
- W2611403796
- Cited by
- 10
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 1.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Asthma (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Keywords
- trait mindfulness, asthma, asthma symptoms, wheezing, dry cough, stress, university students, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Asthma, China, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Stress, Psychological, Students, Universities, Self Report, Mindfulness
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