Table 1.

Overview of current site of research and clinical applicability of behavioral treatments for asthma

	Further need for research	Potential for clinical practice	Current usefulness for clinical practice	Key referencesa
Psychophysical control interventions
Breathing training	moderate	high	high	Bruton & Thomas (2011) Meuret et al. (2007)
Relaxation training and meditation	moderate	moderate	moderate	Lahmann et al. (2009); Posadzki & Ernst (2011)
Respiratory resistance biofeedback	low	low	low	Mass et al. (1993)
Frontal EMG biofeedback	low	low	low	Ritz et al.(2004)
Heart rate variability biofeedback	high	high	moderate	Lehrer et al. (2004)
Training of airway obstruction perception	high	high	low	Kotses et al. (1997)
Lifestyle interventions
Nutrition and diet	high	moderate	moderate	Eneli et al. (2008); Nurmatov et al. (2011)
Physical activity and exercise	moderate	high	high	Ram et al. (2005) McKenzie et al. (1994)
Smoking cessation	high	high	moderate	Chaudhuri et al. (2006) Priest et al. (2008)
Asthma self-management and education
Comprehensive education programs	moderate	high	high	Gibson et al. (2003)
Limited education interventions	high	high	moderate	Gibson et al. (2008) Bobb et al. (2010)
Individually tailored asthma education	moderate	high	high	Powell & Gibson (2009)
Self-management training in schools	moderate	high	high	Bruzzese et al. (2011)
Telehealth delivered self-management	high	high	moderate	McLean et al. (2011)
Adherence training	moderate	moderate	moderate	Bender et al. (2003) Drotar, & Bonner (2009)
Motivational interviewing	high	high	moderate	Riekert et al. (2011)
Individual psychotherapy
Cognitive behavior therapy	high	high	low	Papneja & Manassis (2006) Lehrer et al. (2008)
Suggestive methods	high	moderate	low	Hackman et al. (2000) Wechsler et al. (2011)
Expressive methods	moderate	moderate	low	Warner et al. (2006) Harris et al. (2005)
Psychosocial interventions
Family therapy	high	moderate	moderate	Yorke & Shuldham (2005) Ng et al. (2011)
Community-based interventions	high	high	moderate	Postma et al. (2009) Crocker et al. (2011)
Culturally sensitive interventions	high	high	moderate	Bailey et al. (2009)

Note:Labels „low“, „moderate“, and „high“ were assigned qualitatively taking into account the available evidence from clinical trials. Further need for research was high when none or few smaller trials were available and basic research and/or uncontrolled studies suggested that the intervention was promising; it was moderate when some trials were already available but findings were mixed; it was low when sufficient evidence from controlled trails was available or smaller trials and uncontrolled studies had been unsuccessful and the rationale was not well conceived. Potential for clinical practice was high when controlled trials showed promise and the expected impact on asthma control was high; it was moderate when findings from trials were mixed and/or the expected impact on asthma control was limited; it was low when controlled trials or uncontrolled studies were unsucessful and the rationale was not well conceived. Current usefulness for clinical practice was high when trials were supportive and intervention protocols were well-prepared for implementation; it was moderate when clinical trials were mixed and/or more work on preparing implementation was needed; it was low when evidence was mixed and major work on protocols was needed for implementation