Examining quality of life, adaptive skills, and psychological functioning in children and adolescents with epilepsy

Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder of childhood with approximately 45,000 children under the age of 15 diagnosed each year. The disorder is frequently associated with significant psychosocial difficulties and poor quality of life compared to healthy controls. The purpose of this study was fivefold: (1) to characterize 132 children with epilepsy in terms of adaptive skills and psychological functioning; (2) to investigate if specific demographic or seizure specific characteristics were significant predictors of quality of life in children with epilepsy; (3) to determine the extent to which the composite scores on the BASC-2 predict quality of life, after controlling for significant demographic factors; (4) to determine the extent to which the BASC-2 Clinical subscales predict quality of life, after controlling for significant demographic factors; and (5) to determine the extent to which the BASC-2 Adaptive Skills subscales predict quality of life, after controlling for significant demographic factors. Demographic and seizure specific information was obtained from neurology medical records while participants' primary caregivers completed the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE) to assess each child's functioning in domains concerning physical function, emotional well-being, cognitive function, social function, and behavior. The Behavioral Assessment System for Children -- Second Edition was utilized to evaluate the childrens' adaptive skills as well as psychological functioning. The sample consisted of 132 children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 17, with the mean age of 10 years, 11 months (52.3% male and 47.7% female). Several variables significantly predicted QOLCE Total scores including Full scale IQ (R2 = .04), the BASC-2 composite scale - the Behavioral Symptoms Index (R2 = .24), the BASC-2 Clinical scales of Atypicality, Aggression, and Withdrawal (R2 = .28), and the BASC-2 Adaptive Skills subscale of Functional Communication (R2 = .18). This study provides useful information concerning the difficulties in psychological and adaptive functioning with which children with epilepsy must contend. Investigations such as these regarding various predictors of diminished and enhanced quality of life, may aid in the psychosocial evaluation and treatment of children with epilepsy as well as the possible prevention of more serious psychopathology.