Psychosocial outcomes six months after epilepsy surgery: A perspective on coping strategies.

OBJECTIVE

Epilepsy negatively affects the social functioning of patients. Epilepsy surgery is a treatment with superior rates of seizure freedom. The psychosocial outcomes after epilepsy surgery depend on several factors, including the patient's coping style. It is important to identify the patients who are at risk of experiencing psychosocial difficulties after epilepsy surgery and consult them for psychiatric interventions. This study aimed to assess changes in social adaptation, felt stigma, self-esteem, and self-efficacy after epilepsy surgery, and the effect of coping strategies, sociodemographic and epilepsy-related variables, and post-surgical seizure outcomes on these results.

METHODS

Thirty adult patients with temporal lobe epilepsy who were candidates for surgery were included in the study (mean age: 33.07, mean seizure onset age: 17.2, mean duration of epilepsy: 15.8). The patients were assessed before and 6 months after epilepsy surgery using the Epilepsy Self-Efficacy Scale, Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Felt Stigma Scale, and Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory.

RESULTS

The patients' self-efficacy levels were increased after surgery (p = 0.005). Postsurgical social adaptation levels were associated with higher positive reinterpretation and growth, active coping, and planning (p = 0.016, p = 0.005, p = 0.002, respectively). Postsurgical self-efficacy levels were positively associated with active coping and planning (p = 0.003, p = 0.035, respectively). Postsurgical self-esteem (p = 0.012, p = 0.049, p = 0.034, respectively) and stigma (p = 0.029, p = 0.014, p = 0.027, respectively) were negatively associated with positive reinterpretation and growth, active coping, and planning. Furthermore, being employed presurgical period was associated with better postsurgical social adaptation (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

The psychosocial outcomes after epilepsy surgery depend not only on seizure outcomes. Understanding the factors beyond seizure freedom, allows healthcare professionals to have a pivotal role in exploring and managing patients' expectations, fostering a more comprehensive and realistic dialogue about potential outcomes. Considering employed patients had better psychosocial outcomes, we suggest patients' families, healthcare professionals, and epilepsy support organizations should work collaboratively to support people with epilepsy in terms of providing job opportunities.