title: Social skills in children with epilepsy: how do they compare to healthy and chronic disease controls?
abstract: Studies have shown poor long-term social outcomes in adults with childhood-onset epilepsy. Our goal was to compare social skills in children with epilepsy with those of healthy and chronic disease controls. Children (8-16 years) with epilepsy (n=59) were compared with age- and gender-matched children with chronic kidney disease (n=40) and healthy controls (n=41). Parents completed the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) questionnaire. Children with epilepsy had significantly poorer SSRS total scores when compared with healthy controls (P=0.002); however, their scores did not differ from those of children with chronic kidney disease (P=0.52). Children with epilepsy were less cooperative (P=0.02), less assertive (P=0.004), and less responsible (P=0.05) and displayed poorer self-control (P=0.005) than healthy controls. Our results suggest that having a chronic disease plays a role in the social functioning of children with epilepsy. The impact of epilepsy itself on social functioning should be further elucidated through detailed prospective assessments over time.
authors.affiliation: Division of Child Neurology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43205, USA. Hamiwka.1@osu.edu
authors.forename: Lorie D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Hamiwka
authors.forename: Lorraine A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hamiwka
authors.forename: Elisabeth M S
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wirrell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires