Pediatric epilepsy: Psychosocial adaptation and family functioning

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential mediating effects of family functioning variables in predicting psychosocial adaptation in children with epilepsy. One hundred and forty five children and their mothers participated in the study. The children were in the age range of 8 to 14 years and belonged to either the epilepsy or control group and were selected from the outpatients visiting the department of Pediatrics of a tertiary care teaching hospital in North India. Psychosocial adaptation was measured by the Self Concept Scale (CAS), Pre-adolescent Adjustment Scale (PAAS) and Childhood Psychopathology Measurement Schedule (CPMS). Family functioning was measured by the Family Environment Scale (FES). Children with epilepsy were found to have significantly lower self concept scores, were mere poorly adjusted and had higher psychopathology scores than matched healthy controls. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the family functioning variables (cohesion, control, and conflict) explained significant amounts of variance in self-concept, adjustment and psychopathology scores of children with epilepsy. Children with epilepsy have significant psychosocial adaptation problems and family functioning variables appear to be important mediating factors to be considered in childhood adjustment to epilepsy.