title: Emotion and dissociative seizures: A phenomenological analysis of patients' perspectives.
abstract: Quantitative research has indicated that patients with dissociative seizures (DS) show altered responses to emotional stimuli, in addition to considerable emotional distress and dysregulation. The present study sought to further explore emotional processes in this population, to extend previous findings, and to provide a phenomenological insight into patients' perspectives on these issues. Semistructured interviews were carried out with 15 patients with DS, and the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) were adopted in data analysis. Key themes elicited included: i) general emotional functioning; ii) adverse (stressful/traumatic) life experiences; iii) the role of emotions in DS; iv) relating to others; and v) resilience, protective factors, and coping mechanisms. The clinical and theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. Electronic address: susannah.pick@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Susannah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pick
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatry Department, Maudsley Hospital, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London SE5 8AZ, UK. Electronic address: john.mellers@slam.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: John D C
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mellers
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. Electronic address: laura.goldstein@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Laura H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dissociative seizures; Emotion; Nonepileptic seizures; Phenomenological; Psychogenic seizures; Qualitative