Parental anxiety and quality of life in children with epilepsy

Parental beliefs and attitudes concerning epilepsy may significantly impact adjustment and quality of life for both the child and family. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between parental anxiety and quality of life in pediatric patients with ongoing epilepsy. Subjects were parents (n = 200) of children between the ages of 6 and 16 years who had been diagnosed and treated for epilepsy for at least I year. Parents were given quality of life and anxiety questionnaires during the child's clinic visit. A stepwise regression analysis suggested that severity of comorbid conditions, parental anxiety, seizure control, and number of medications were significantly associated with quality of life for these children. Parents with increased anxiety whose children had poorly controlled seizures and a comorbid disability were found to have diminished quality of life. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.