Table 1.

Semi-structured interview schedule

• Based on your experience, what are the most disabling symptoms that you must deal within your daily life? • What kind of emotions originated from these experiences over time? • Many patients feel “anxious” and/or “depressed”. How do you imagine these emotions may affect the physical course of the disease? • Starting from your previous considerations, which kind of relationship do you think may exist between emotions and COPD typical symptoms? • How do you expect your clinical framework may evolve in the future? • Would you like to add any other consideration?