Comorbidity of Psychiatric and Psychosocial Problems in Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a condition frequently accompanied by psychiatric and psychosocial problems and a reduced quality of life. The present study was mainly aimed at understanding the comorbid psychiatric and psychosocial problems that significantly influence the daily life of persons with epilepsy. For this, 100 patients of epilepsy aged 18 to 40 years were selected from hospitals and clinics of neurologist/psychiatrists to participate in the study along with 100 normal controls. Data were collected by administering Personality Assessment Inventory by Morey, 1999. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics (Mean, SD, SK, and KU) to ascertain the normalcy of data, t-ratios to compare the two groups in terms of their mean scores of ten clinical scales and two interpersonal scales; and Discriminant Function Analysis to examine the joint contribution of all the twelve variables in differentiation of two groups. Results revealed that patients with epilepsy scored significantly high on ten clinical scales i.e Somatic Complains, Anxiety, Anxiety-Related Disorders, Depression, Mania, Paranoia, Schizophrenia, Borderline Features, Anti social Features, and Drug problem and two interpersonal scales i.e Dominance and warmth. In Discriminant Analysis, Depression, Anxiety-related Disorders, Borderline Features, Warmth, Somatic Complaint, Anxiety and Dominance emerged most potent discriminators classifying the two groups correctly by 100%. Overall findings revealed the patients with epilepsy tend to develop the neurotic and psychotic spectrum disorders along with the interpersonal behavioural problems and these psychopathological and social variables should be taken into account in diagnosis and treatment strategy for epilepsy.