Impact of a computer-assisted education program on factors related to asthma self-management behavior

Objective: To evaluate Watch, Discover, Think and Act (WDTA), a theory-based application of CD-ROM educational technology for pediatric asthma self-management education. Design: A prospective pretest posttest randomized intervention trial was used to assess the motivational appeal of the computer-assisted instructional program and evaluate the impact of the program in eliciting change in knowledge, self-efficacy, and attributions of children with asthma. Subjects were recruited from large urban asthma clinics, community clinics, and schools. Seventy-six children 9 to 13 years old were recruited for the evaluation. Results: Repeated-measures analysis of covariance showed that knowledge scores increased significantly for both groups, but no between-group differences were found (P = 0.55); children using the program scored significantly higher (P < 0.01) on questions about steps of self-regulation, prevention strategies, and treatment strategies. These children also demonstrated greater self-efficacy (P < 0.05) and more efficacy building attribution classification of asthma self-management behaviors (P < 0.05) than those children who did not use the program. Conclusion: The WDTA is an intrinsically motivating educational program that has the ability to effect determinants of asthma self-management behavior in 9- to 13-year-old children with asthma. This, coupled with its reported effectiveness in enhancing patient outcomes in clinical settings, indicates that this program has application in pediatric asthma education.