%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I Gunther Eysenbach
%V 14
%N 1
%P e23
%T Breathe Easier Online: Evaluation of a Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial of an Internet-Based Intervention to Improve Well-being in Children and Adolescents With a Chronic Respiratory Condition
%A Newcombe,Peter A
%A Dunn,Tamara L
%A Casey,Leanne M
%A Sheffield,Jeanie K
%A Petsky,Helen
%A Anderson-James,Sophie
%A Chang,Anne B
%+ School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Bldg 24, Room s323, Brisbane, 4072, Australia, 61 7 33469643, newc@psy.uq.edu.au
%K Internet-based intervention
%K chronic respiratory condition
%K psychosocial well-being
%K children and adolescents
%K randomized controlled trial
%D 2012
%7 08.02.2012
%9 Original Paper
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X Background: Chronic respiratory illnesses are the most common group of childhood chronic health conditions and are overrepresented in socially isolated groups. Objective: To conduct a randomized controlled pilot trial to evaluate the efficacy of Breathe Easier Online (BEO), an Internet-based problem-solving program with minimal facilitator involvement to improve psychosocial well-being in children and adolescents with a chronic respiratory condition. Methods: We randomly assigned 42 socially isolated children and adolescents (18 males), aged between 10 and 17 years to either a BEO (final n = 19) or a wait-list control (final n = 20) condition. In total, 3 participants (2 from BEO and 1 from control) did not complete the intervention. Psychosocial well-being was operationalized through self-reported scores on depression symptoms and social problem solving. Secondary outcome measures included self-reported attitudes toward their illness and spirometry results. Paper-and-pencil questionnaires were completed at the hospital when participants attended a briefing session at baseline (time 1) and in their homes after the intervention for the BEO group or a matched 9-week time period for the wait-list group (time 2). Results: The two groups were comparable at baseline across all demographic measures (all F < 1). For the primary outcome measures, there were no significant group differences on depression (P = .17) or social problem solving (P = .61). However, following the online intervention, those in the BEO group reported significantly lower depression (P = .04), less impulsive/careless problem solving (P = .01), and an improvement in positive attitude toward their illness (P = .04) compared with baseline. The wait-list group did not show these differences. Children in the BEO group and their parents rated the online modules very favorably. Conclusions: Although there were no significant group differences on primary outcome measures, our pilot data provide tentative support for the feasibility (acceptability and user satisfaction) and initial efficacy of an Internet-based intervention for improving well-being in children and adolescents with a chronic respiratory condition. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number: ACTRN12610000214033; http://www.anzctr.org.au/trial_view.aspx?ID=308074 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/63BL55mXH) 
%M 22356732
%R 10.2196/jmir.1997
%U http://www.jmir.org/2012/1/e23/
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.1997
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22356732