Group therapy for asthma patients: a concept for the psychosomatic treatment of patients in a medical clinic--a controlled study

Abstract

Asthma patients pose special problems as far as the medical supervision, danger of symptoms and the course of the disease are concerned. Some 90 asthma patients were registered for the treatment in the Heidelberg Medical Clinic. 31 patients who were interested in taking part were randomized into 3 groups: two treatment group consisted of the exchange of information, discussion sessions on the illness as well as 'autogenic training' or 'functional relaxation'. The third group was the control group. Before and after treatment the patients were submitted to a thorough examination both of lungs and other internal organs as well as from the psychodiagnostical point of view. The average age of the patients was 43.5 years and the average duration of illness 16.8 years. Nevertheless, the treatment group's sympathomimetics use was significantly reduced by 1 year of treatment (p less than 0.05); the use of steroids decreased as well. The number of visits of the general practitioner also decreased. These results support the conclusion that psychosomatic group therapy can make an important contribution to the treatment of asthma patients. Body therapy practised in 'autogenic training' and 'functional relaxation' seems to be another important healing factor for the treatment in addition to the discussion sessions and the exchange of information.