[Coping strategies of children with asthma. Testing the applicability of the German version of the Schoolagers' Coping Strategies Inventory (SCSI)]. / Strategien von Kindern mit Asthma bronchiale zur Krankheitsbewältigung. Uberprüfung der Anwendbarkeit einer deutschen Version des Schoolager's Coping Strategies Inventory (SCSI).

ABSTRACT

Little is known about how children suffering from bronchial asthma assess their own capabilities to cope with the asthmatic symptoms. This descriptive study is designed to record how frequently and effectively children with bronchial asthma (n = 29) make use of coping strategies. An American self-assessment instrument, the Schoolagers' Coping Strategies Inventor, (SCSI), was used in its German translation to test whether or not it is appropriate for use with German children. The German Inventory is appropriate for use (alpha-coeffizient Frequency 0.72, Effectiveness 0.71). There are only two strategies that should be changed in the German translation in order to help German children understand it better Our study shows that the five strategies "Watch TV or listen to music", "Draw, write or read something", "Do something about it", "Play a game or something" and "Talk to someone" that are used most frequently are also considered to be the most effective ones. In addition, we observed that there are strategies that are rarely used by the children but which are still considered to be effective. A comparison of the studies performed in the USA and in Germany reveals that good strategies to take the minds of both American and German children off things are watching TV and listening to music. Aggressive behaviors do not play any major role.