PSYCHOSOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA REGARDING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Introduction: Children who are more active enjoy sports, have confidence in their ability to engage in physical activity, feel competent and perceive fewer barriers to physical activity. Objective: Psychosocially characterize the asthmatic child's relationship with enjoyable physical activity, physical self-concept, health and perceived quality of life. Method: Eighty asthmatic children (age = 11.33 +/- 1.10 years, body mass index [BMI] = 20.52 +/- 3.83 kg/m(2)) and 80 healthy children (age = 11.18 +/- 1.00 years, BMI = 20.81 +/- 4.24 kg/m(2)) participated in the study. The Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES), Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C), the Physical Self-concept Questionnaire (CAF) and the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) were used. Results: In the PACES questionnaire, healthy children had a better level of general physical activity while in the CAF questionnaire, significant differences were found in ability, physical fitness and general self-concept, which were higher in healthy children. There is a significant correlation between the PAQ-C and ability, general physical self-concept, PACES and total PAQLQ in asthmatic children. Conclusion: Asthmatic children had lower levels of physical activity, physical self-concept and enjoyment in physical activity than healthy children.