While considerable knowledge has accumulated in recent years concerning the important role of psychological factors in chronic medical conditions, a relative paucity of information exists on the role of emotional factors in chronic lung disease. The present report examined 16 patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as indicated by spirometry testing. Subjects reported the degree of difficulty in performing ten tasks of daily living and completed the SCL-90-R to assess a broad range of affective and somatic states. Results indicate that while restriction of three activities was correlated with severity of lung impairment, difficulty in performing daily activities appeared more consistently correlated with emotional functioning. In particular, SCL-90-R subscales of somatization, anxiety, and depression were correlated with behavioral impairment of multiple daily activities. Implications for psychosocial interventions in the rehabilitation of COPD patients are discussed, including the differential impact of stress management training and treatments for depression.Chronic diseases, particularly those with a persistent, unremitting course, frequently are accompanied by depression, anxiety, and a host of other emotional responses that contribute to restrictions in vocational, social, and family functioning (Mechanic, 1983). In considering the relationship between illness and emotional stress, recent conceptualizations have emphasized the important role of an individual's available strategies for coping with the psychological effects of physical disability on rehabilitative efforts (Steger, 1979) and subsequent recurrences and exacerbations of illness (Cohen & Lazarus, 1979). To date, considerable attention has been focused on biopsychological factors in cardiovascular disease (e.g., Jacob & Chesney, 1986), with a relative lack of information concerning other chronic disease states.One such chronic condition that has only recently begun to receive empirical attention is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD involves a heterogeneous group of nonreversible pulmonary disease entities, including bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma. Examinations of COPD have documented the important role of psychosocial factors in con-
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