Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Psychopathology and psychological adjustment in children and adolescents with epilepsy

  • Review Article
  • Published:
World Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurological illness in childhood and adolescence, and this condition may increase the risk of psychopathology at these ages.

Data sources

A literature review, including MEDLINE and PsychLIT database, was made covering the period of 1966–2007. Research studies were included if they were concerned with children suffering from epilepsy and measures of psychopathology.

Results

Studies found a more elevated rate of psychological and psychiatric disorders, both behavioral and emotional, in these samples compared to general population or children with other chronic conditions. The problems presented in children and adolescents with epilepsy are quite similar to those in general population with a slight increase of hyperkinetic and attention problems likely related to both direct brain damage and anticonvulsant treatment. There is no evidence of psychotic disorders and/or specific personality traits associated with epilepsy at these ages.

Conclusions

Family factors, specially those related to psychopathology in other family members and parent-child relationships, appear to have stronger influence on children psychopathology than illness factors themselves. Some guidelines are provided in order to improve future research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kim WJ. Psychiatric aspects of epileptic children and adolescents. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1991;30:874–886.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Rutter M, Yule W, Graham P. A neuropsychiatric study in childhood. (Clinics in development medicine). London: Heineman Medicine, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hodes M, Garralda ME, Rose G, Schwartz R. Maternal expressed emotion and adjustment in children with epilepsy. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 1999;40:1083–1093.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Austin JK, McBride AB, Davis HW. Parental attitude and adjustment to childhood epilepsy. Nurse Res 1984;33:92–96.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hoare P. Does illness foster dependency: a study of epileptic and diabetic children. Dev Med Child Neurol 1984;26:20–24.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hoare P. The development of psychiatric disorders among schoolchildren with epilepsy. Dev Med Child Neurol 1984;26:3–13.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Austin JK. Childhood epilepsy: child adaptation and family resources. J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 1988;1:18–24.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hoare P, Mann H. Self-esteem and behavioural adjustment in children with epilepsy and children with diabetes. J Psychosom Res 1994;38:859–869.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Austin JK, Smith MS, Risinger MW, McNelis AM. Childhood epilepsy and asthma: comparison of quality of life. Epilepsia 1994;35:608–615.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Ounsted C, Lindsay J. The long-term outcome of temporal lobe epilepsy in childhood. In: Reynolds E, Trimble M, eds. Epilepsy and Psychiatry. London: Churchill Livingstone, 1981:185–215.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Otero S, Hodes M. Maternal expressed emotion and treatment compliance of children with epilepsy. Dev Med Child Neurol 2000;42:604–608.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Pianta RC, Lothman DJ. Predicting behavior problems in children with epilepsy: child factors, disease factors, family stress, and child-mother interaction. Child Dev 1994;65:1415–1428.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Austin JK. Comparison of child adaptation to epilepsy and asthma. J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs 1989;2:139–144.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lewis MA, Salas I, de la Sota A, Chiofalo N, Leake B. Randomized trial of a program to enhance the competencies of children with epilepsy. Epilepsia 1990;31:101–109.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lewis MA, Hatton CL, Salas I, Leake B, Chiofalo N. Impact of the Children’s Epilepsy Program on parents. Epilepsia 1991;32:365–374.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hoare P. The quality of life of children with chronic epilepsy and their families. Seizure 1993;2:269–275.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lothman D, Pianta RC, Clarson SM. Mother-child interaction in children with epilepsy: relations with child competence. J Epilepsy 1990;3:157–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Hermann BP. Neuropsychological functioning and psychopathology in children with epilepsy. Epilepsia 1982;23:545–554.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Hoare P, Kerley S. Psychosocial adjustment of children with chronic epilepsy and their families. Dev Med Child Neurol 1991;33:201–215.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Laybourn A, Hill M. Children with epilepsy and their families: needs and services. Child Care Health Dev 1994;20:1–14.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Lothman DJ, Pianta RC. Role of mother-child interaction in predicting competence in children with epilepsy. Epilepsia 1993;34:658–659.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Austin JK, Risinger MW, Beckett LA. Correlates of behavior problems in children with epilepsy. Epilepsia 1992;33:1115–1122.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Ferrari M, Matthews WS, Barabas G. The family and the child with epilepsy. Fam Process 1983;22:53–59.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Caplan R, Siddarth P, Gurbani S, Ott D, Sankar R, Shields WD. Psychopathology and pediatric complex partial seizures: seizure-related, cognitive, and linguistic variables. Epilepsia 2004;45:1273–1281.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Stores G, Piran N. Dependency of different types in school children with epilepsy. Psychol Med 1978;8:441–445.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Hoare P. Psychiatric disturbance in the families of epileptic children. Dev Med Child Neurol 1984;2:14–19.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Siianpää M. Medico-social prognosis of children with epilepsy. Epidemiological study and analysis of 245 patients. Acta Paediatr Scand Suppl 1973;237:3–104.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Long CG, Moore JR. Parental expectations for their epileptic children. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 1979;20:299–312.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Rodenburg R, Stams GJ, Meijer AM, Aldenkamp AP, Deković M. Psychopathology in children with epilepsy: a metaanalysis. J Pediatr Psychol 2005;30:453–468.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Qin P, Xu H, Laursen TM, Vestergaard M, Mortensen PB. Risk for schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like psychosis among patients with epilepsy: population based cohort study. BMJ 2005;331:23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Hartlage LC, Green JB, Offutt L. Dependence in epileptic children. Epilepsia 1972;13:27–30.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Hartlage LC, Green JB. The relation of parental attitudes to academic and social achievement in epileptic children. Epilepsia 1972;13:21–26.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Hoare P. Adults’ attitudes to children with epilepsy: the use of a visual analogue scale questionnaire. J Psychosom Res 1986;30:471–479.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Austin JK, McDermott N. Parental attitude and coping behaviors in families of children with epilepsy. J Neurosci Nurs 1988;20:174–179.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Hoare P, Russell M. The quality of life of children with chronic epilepsy and their families: preliminary findings with a new assessment measure. Dev Med Child Neurol 1995;37:689–696.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Rodenburg R, Meijer AM, Deković M, Aldenkamp AP. Family factors and psychopathology in children with epilepsy: a literature review. Epilepsy Behav 2005;6:488–503.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Adewuya AO, Ola BA. Prevalence of and risk factors for anxiety and depressive disorders in Nigerian adolescents with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2005;6:342–347.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Rodenburg R, Marie Meijer A, Deković M, Aldenkamp AP. Family predictors of psychopathology in children with epilepsy. Epilepsia 2006;47:601–614.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Plioplys S, Dunn DW, Caplan R. 10-year research update review: psychiatric problems in children with epilepsy. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2007;46:1389–1402.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Meadow R. Fictitious epilepsy. Lancet 1984;7:25–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Mitchell WG, Scheier LM, Baker SA. Adherence to treatment in children with epilepsy: who follows “doctor’s orders”?. Epilepsia 2000;41:1616–1625.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Austin JK, Caplan R. Behavioral and psychiatric comorbidities in pediatric epilepsy: toward an integrative model. Epilepsia 2007;48:1639–1651.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Psychiatry & Psychology Department, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, C/LV de Velasco n°1, 39011, Santander, Cantabria, Spain

    Soraya Otero

Authors
  1. Soraya Otero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Soraya Otero.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Otero, S. Psychopathology and psychological adjustment in children and adolescents with epilepsy. World J Pediatr 5, 12–17 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-009-0002-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-009-0002-9

Key words

Search

Navigation