Family functioning in subjects with pseudoseizures and epilepsy.

The purpose of this study was to identify differences in family functioning between subjects with pseudoseizures and their families, and control subjects with epilepsy. Thirty-one adult subjects with pseudoseizures and 31 controls with intractable epilepsy, whose diagnoses were confirmed using video...

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Published in:Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease Vol. 189; no. 1; pp. 38 - 44
Main Authors: Krawetz, Patricia, Fleisher, William, Pillay, Neelan, Staley, Douglas, Arnett, John, Maher, John, Krawetz, P, Fleisher, W, Pillay, N, Staley, D, Arnett, J, Maher, J
Format: research Journal Article
Published: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Jan2001
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Jan2001
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      pub: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
      place: Baltimore, Maryland
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        atl: Family functioning in subjects with pseudoseizures and epilepsy.
      aug:
        au:
          Krawetz, Patricia
          Fleisher, William
          Pillay, Neelan
          Staley, Douglas
          Arnett, John
          Maher, John
          Krawetz, P
          Fleisher, W
          Pillay, N
          Staley, D
          Arnett, J
          Maher, J
        affil: Selkirk Mental Health Centre, P.O. Box 9600, Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada R1A 1B5
      sug:
        subj:
          Epilepsy Diagnosis
          Seizures Diagnosis
          Family Health
          Depression Epidemiology
          Seizures Psychosocial Factors
          Anxiety Disorders Diagnosis
          Adult
          Epilepsy Psychosocial Factors
          Depression Diagnosis
          Female
          Nonverbal Communication
          Epilepsy Epidemiology
          Seizures Epidemiology
          Male
          Somatoform Disorders Diagnosis
          Comorbidity
          Electroencephalography Statistics and Numerical Data
          Diagnosis, Differential
          Quality of Life
          Human
          Verbal Behavior
          Somatoform Disorders Psychosocial Factors
          Family Relations
          Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Statistics and Numerical Data
          Anxiety Disorders Epidemiology
          Validation Studies
          Comparative Studies
          Evaluation Research
          Multicenter Studies
          Clinical Assessment Tools
          Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Female
          Male
      ab: The purpose of this study was to identify differences in family functioning between subjects with pseudoseizures and their families, and control subjects with epilepsy. Thirty-one adult subjects with pseudoseizures and 31 controls with intractable epilepsy, whose diagnoses were confirmed using video-EEG, were recruited from the epilepsy unit of a tertiary care hospital over a 4-year period. Each study participant and their first-degree adult family members completed two standardized questionnaires designed to measure family functioning: the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) and the Beavers Self-Report Family Inventory (SFI). Individuals with pseudoseizures, when compared with epileptic subjects, exhibited significantly elevated scores in three scales of the FAD and in one scale of the SFI, indicating greater psychopathology within the family, as perceived by the individual. Statistically significant differences with the FAD were on measures of affective involvement (p = .044), communication (p = .004), and general functioning (p = .013). The SFI revealed significantly greater difficulty with conflict (p = .050). No differences were noted between subjects with both pseudoseizures and epilepsy and subjects with pseudoseizures alone. In comparison with the families of the epileptic group, the families of subjects with pseudoseizures displayed statistically significant elevations in their responses on the roles scale (p = .003) of the FAD. The responses of the family members did not differ in regard to the role they assumed within the family unit (i.e., spouse, parent). In summary, individuals with pseudoseizures view their families as being more dysfunctional, particularly in the area of communication, whereas their family members perceived difficulties in defining roles. This suggests that family education and interventions focusing on these areas, may be an important aspect of the treatment of patients with pseudoseizures.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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