Evaluation of Quality of Life and Psychiatric Aspects of Children with Epilepsy and Their Families Using Self-assessment Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life, and levels of depression and anxiety of children with epilepsy and their families with a healthy control group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 60 epileptic children and their families were included. The data of these patients were compared with 51 healthy children and their families. The Children’s Depression Inventory, Beck Depression and Anxiety Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, KINDL General quality of life scale, KINDL-epilepsy module, and short form-36 were used to determine the depression, anxiety, and quality of life levels of children and parents. RESULTS: Depression and anxiety scale scores of the epilepsy group were statistically higher than the control group (P < .05). In the epilepsy group, the emotional well-being dimension on the KINDL parent scale and the total health, emotional well-being, family, and friends dimensions on the KINDL child scale were statistically lower than the healthy control group (P < .05). Short form-36 scores of the parents of the epilepsy group were statistically lower than the parents of the control group (P < .05). As the KINDL epilepsy quality of life dimension scores increased, the scores of the parental short form-36 quality of life scale scores increased. KINDL parental total scores were statistically lower in those with comorbidities than those without comorbidities. CONCLUSION: Monitoring for psychiatric comorbidities and quality of life status for both the child and the parents is recommended. Also, it should be emphasized that it would be more beneficial to use self-answered scales when assessing the quality of life of epileptic children.