Psychosocial functioning following surgical treatment for intractable epilepsy in childhood.
METHODS
Psychosocial functioning was examined in 13 children who had undergone surgical treatment for intractable epilepsy. The ratings of each child's social, emotional and behavioural problems were obtained via parent and teacher reports made an average of 2 years post-operatively.


RESULTS
Parents viewed their children as having greater social difficulties than reported in standardisation samples. Although the overall level of difficulty fell below clinically significant cut-offs, the proportion of children who were rated as having clinically significant levels of difficulties approached significance. Teachers rated these children as displaying more symptoms of anxiety and depression, although the levels remained subclinical.


CONCLUSIONS
These results are discussed in view of the complex interaction between neurological and environmental variables involved in social-emotional functioning following surgical treatment for epilepsy.
Korneluk
Yolanda G
YG
Discipline of Psychology, Child Development Service, Ottawa Children's Treatment Centre, 395 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L2, Canada.
Kuehn
Sally M
SM
Keene
Daniel L
DL
Ventureyra
Enrique C G
EC
D000293:Adolescent; D000679:Amygdala / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010290:Parents; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies