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Psychosocial Predictors of Psychopathology in Epilepsy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Bruce P. Hermann ,
Steven Whitman ,
Allen R. Wyler ,
Michael T. Anton  and
Roger Vanderzwagg
Bruce P. Hermann*
Affiliation:
Epilepsy Center, Baptist Memorial Hospital, Memphis; Department of Psychiatry, University of Tennessee – Memphis
Steven Whitman
Affiliation:
Center for Urban Affairs and Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Allen R. Wyler
Affiliation:
Epilepsy Center, Baptist Memorial Hospital, Memphis; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee – Memphis; Semmes–Murphey Clinic, Memphis
Michael T. Anton
Affiliation:
Epilepsy Center, Baptist Memorial Hospital, Memphis; Department of Psychiatry, University of Tennessee – Memphis
Roger Vanderzwagg
Affiliation:
Health Services Research, Baptist Memorial Hospital, Memphis
*
∗Epilepsy Center, Baptist Memorial Hospital, 899 Madison Avenue, Memphis, TN 38146, USA
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Abstract

The 30-item version of the GHQ was administered to 102 adults with epilepsy, and four sets of variables (neurological, psychosocial, medication, demographic) were used to predict psychiatric distress. Psychopathology was found to be associated with increased perceived stigma, elevated number of stressful life events during the past year, poor adjustment to epilepsy, financial stress, vocational problems, external locus of control, and an earlier onset of epilepsy. Multiple regression procedures reduced this list to three independent predictors of psychopathology: an increased number of stressful life events in the past year, poor adjustment to epilepsy, and financial stress.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 156 , Issue 1 , January 1990 , pp. 98 - 105
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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