Posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder is common in parents of children with epilepsy.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and major depressive disorder (MDD) in parents of children with epilepsy.


METHODS
Parents (77 mothers and 3 fathers) of children with epilepsy were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID), PTSD and MDD modules, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ).


RESULTS
The prevalence of both PTSD and MDD was 31.5%. Fifty-six percent (n = 14) of the participants with PTSD had a diagnosis of MDD. PTSD symptom clusters were very prevalent in the parents of children with epilepsy. Reexperiencing and arousal symptom clusters were more frequent (88.8 and 80% respectively) than the avoidance and numbing symptom cluster (32.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that a significant proportion of parents of children with epilepsy experience PTSD and MDD. Increased awareness of the clinical presentations of these disorders may help clinicians to develop preventive and intervention strategies for parents of children with epilepsy.
Iseri
Pervin K
PK
Department of Neurology, Kocaeli University Medical School, Kocaeli, Turkey. pervin.iseri@gmail.com
Ozten
Eylem
E
Aker
Ahmet Tamer
AT
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology*; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires