This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Mims, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mims, J. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Self-Esteem, Behavior, and Concerns Surrounding Epilepsy in Siblings of Children With Epilepsy

Minnesota Epilepsy Group, P.A., St Paul, MN

Researchers document the emotional impact of epilepsy on the child with seizures. Minimal data are available examining the effects of epilepsy on the siblings of children with seizures. Twenty children whose siblings had either frequent seizures or infrequent seizures were matched by age, gender, and birth order to control subjects with no chronic illness. These three groups were compared. Self-esteem, behavioral and social functioning, and family stress were measured by the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale, Child Behavior Checklist, and Family Inventory of Life Events. The siblings of children with epilepsy completed the Sibling Concern About Seizure Scale to define and measure their concerns surrounding epilepsy. There is no statistical difference in self-esteem or social functioning among the three groups. There is a trend toward increased incidence of externalizing behavior in siblings of children with frequent seizures. Data indicate a trend toward siblings of children with frequent seizures having more concerns about epilepsy than siblings of children with infrequent seizures. There is significantly more stress in families of children with frequent seizures compared to families of children with infrequent seizures and families of children with no chronic illness. Although there were no significant differences in the self-esteem, behavior, socialization, and concerns between the siblings in the family when compared to the control group or to each other, there were trends in the results that may be of clinical significance. These issues, along with the level of family stress, should be considered when coordinating and providing care to families of children with intractable epilepsy. (J Child Neurol 1997; 12:187-192).

Journal of Child Neurology, Vol. 12, No. 3, 187-192 (1997)
DOI: 10.1177/088307389701200307


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Rodenburg, G. J. Stams, A. M. Meijer, A. P. Aldenkamp, and M. Dekovic Psychopathology in Children with Epilepsy: A Meta-Analysis J. Pediatr. Psychol., September 1, 2005; 30(6): 453 - 468. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Sharpe and L. Rossiter Siblings of Children With a Chronic Illness: A Meta-Analysis J. Pediatr. Psychol., December 1, 2002; 27(8): 699 - 710. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]