Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in parents of young children with epilepsy: A case controlled population-based study

Colin Reilly; Patricia Atkinson; Ayesha Memon; Chloe Jones; Lyvia Dabydeen; Krishna B Das; Christopher Gillberg; Brian G R Neville; Rod C Scott

doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2017.12.020

Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in parents of young children with epilepsy: A case controlled population-based study

Epilepsy Behav. 2018 Mar:80:177-183. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2017.12.020. Epub 2018 Feb 3.

Authors

Colin Reilly¹, Patricia Atkinson², Ayesha Memon², Chloe Jones³, Lyvia Dabydeen³, Krishna B Das⁴, Christopher Gillberg⁵, Brian G R Neville⁶, Rod C Scott⁷

Affiliations

¹ Research Department, Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, Surrey RH7 6PW, UK; UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (ICH), 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK. Electronic address: creilly@youngepilepsy.org.uk.
² Child Development Centre, Crawley Hospital, West Green Drive, Crawley, RH11 7DH, West Sussex, UK.
³ Research Department, Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, Surrey RH7 6PW, UK.
⁴ UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (ICH), 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK; Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK.
⁵ Research Department, Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, Surrey RH7 6PW, UK; UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (ICH), 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK; Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Gothenburg, Kungsgatan 12, Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁶ Research Department, Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, Surrey RH7 6PW, UK; UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (ICH), 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK.
⁷ UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (ICH), 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK; Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK; Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA.

PMID: 29414549
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2017.12.020

Abstract

The objective was to provide population-based data on depression, anxiety, and stress in parents of young children with epilepsy and to compare findings with those of parents of developmental-, age-, and gender-matched children with nonepilepsy-related neurodisability (neurological and/or neurodevelopmental concerns). The parents (mothers and fathers) of 47 (89% ascertainment) young children (1-7years) with epilepsy in a defined geographical area of the UK completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales - Short Form (DASS-21), a screening measure for depression, anxiety, and stress. The responses of parents of children with epilepsy were compared with parents of developmental-, age-, and gender-matched children with nonepilepsy-related neurodisability (n=48). Factors associated with parental symptoms were analyzed using regression. In the group with epilepsy, 47 mothers and 39 fathers completed the DASS-21. Seventy-two percent of mothers scored in the at-risk range on at least one DASS-21 subscale (Fathers 49%). Mothers of children with epilepsy were significantly more likely to score in the at risk range than fathers on depression (55% vs. 33%), anxiety (47% vs. 26%), and stress (55% vs. 31%) subscales (all p<0.05). Mothers of children with epilepsy were also significantly more likely to score in the at-risk range than mothers of children with neurodisability on measures of depression (p=0.005) and stress (p=0.03). There was not a significant difference between fathers in both groups on any measures. In the group with epilepsy, increased child emotional-behavioral difficulties were associated with increased DASS-21 scores on multivariable analysis (p=0.04). Mothers of young children with epilepsy are at high risk for mental health difficulties, and all should be screened for such difficulties. There is a need to explore what parent and/or child focused interventions might be useful to reduce the mental health difficulties reported by mothers of young children with epilepsy.

Keywords: Anxiety; Children; Depression; Epilepsy; Parents; Stress.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Anxiety / diagnosis*
Anxiety / psychology
Caregivers / psychology*
Case-Control Studies
Child
Child, Preschool
Depression / diagnosis*
Depression / psychology
Emotions
Epilepsy / diagnosis*
Epilepsy / psychology
Fathers / psychology
Female
Health Surveys
Humans
Infant
Male
Mental Health
Mothers / psychology
Parents / psychology*
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Quality of Life / psychology*
Stress, Psychological / diagnosis*
Stress, Psychological / psychology
Surveys and Questionnaires