ИСТИНА

Introduction In subjective experience, dysfunctional breathing is experienced as a feeling of "difficulty in inhaling" and shortness of breath , which may be similar to the symptoms of coronavirus infection (Taverne et al., 2021; Gavriatopoulou et al., 2020). The conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic create an increased level of anxiety and attention to respiratory sensations, which becomes a favorable ground for the occurrence of dysfunctional breathing. Objective To examine the relationship of ideas about the pandemic with the occurrence of dysfunctional breathing in the Russian population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The Nijmegen Questionnaire (NQ) (Van Dixhoorn, Duivenvoordent, 1985) and the author's socio-demographic questionnaire were used, which included questions about personal experience of the pandemic. The study was conducted online from April 27 to December 28, 2020. It was attended by 1,362 people from all regions of Russia, including 1,153 women and 209 men aged 15 to 88 years (38.3 ±11.4). Results It was found that respondents who are more confident in the danger of coronavirus have more respiratory difficulties (N=517;NQ=19±10.6) compared to those who consider its danger exaggerated (N=454,NQ=15.9±9.2,p=0.000). Also, respondents who are completely convinced of the absence of a condemnation for COVID-19 disease have less pronounced dysfunctional breathing (N=331,NQ=15.26±9.5), compared to those who sure about the condemnation becouse of infection (N=88,NQ=19.16±10.05, p=0.007). Respondents who have relatives who have been ill with COVID-19 (N=430) have a higher score on NQ (18.6±10.5), compared with those who have no relatives who have been ill (N=932,NQ=17.1±9.7,p =0.011). Conclusions Thus, it was found that the severity of dysfunctional breathing is associated with the respondents' beliefs about the danger of coronavirus and the expectation of stigmatization in COVID-19 disease, as well as with the experience of COVID-19 disease among relatives. Disclosure: Research is supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project No. 21-18-00624.