Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Anxiety and Depression of Asthma Patients

The purpose in this article is to determine influence of cognitive behav-ioral therapy (CBT) on anxiety and depression of female asthma patients in Isfahan. For this، 28 asthma patients were selected from medical cen-ters in Isfahan using random cluster sampling، categorized in test and control groups. Both groups were evaluated in pre-test level through anxiety and depression subscales of SCL-90-R. Then experiment group was under cognitive behavioral therapy in a group form during 8 weekly sessions and control group received no psychological treatment. After 8 medical sessions، the two groups were once more evaluated in post-test level through anxiety and depression subscales of SCL-90-R. Also res-piratory performance subscale in asthma patients'' life quality question-naire (AQLQ) was completed by both groups before and after medical interventions in order to study possible influence of depression and anxi-ety rate on symptoms of this illness. Results of covariance analysis showed that depression and anxiety average score in post-test level has been meaningfully reduced in comparison to the other group (P< 0. 05). Also، respiratory performance average score in experiment group has been significantly increased in comparison to control group (P< 0. 05). According to the above-mentioned findings، it could be said that cogni-tive behavioral therapy in group form is useful solution for improvement of psychological disorders followed by asthma and respiratory perfor-mance (symptoms).