Is social support sometimes a mixed blessing?
BACKGROUND
Child behavioural problems in epilepsy originate from a poorly understood interplay between intrinsic, family and social factors.


METHODS
We re-analysed data from a randomized controlled trial of antiepileptic treatment in rural India, using regression analysis to find risk factors for behavioural problems.


RESULTS
Parental satisfaction with social support was positively and independently correlated with child behavioural problems (P=0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest parents' interactions within their informal social support network, contrary to expectation, may increase risk for behavioural problems in their children. We suggest a possible explanation for this correlation as well as follow-up studies to investigate the social support-as-risk factor hypothesis.
Pal
D K
DK
Clinical and Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. dkp28@columbia.edu
Das
T
T
Chaudhury
G
G
Sengupta
S
S
McConachie
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D012944:Social Support
D000927:Anticonvulsants