title: Self-concept and gender effects in Korean adolescents with epilepsy.
abstract: We aimed to determine whether adolescents with epilepsy (AWE) have a compromised self-concept, whether a lower self-concept is related to mental health, and whether there are sex differences in self-concept in AWE.
  
  
  
  A total of 179 AWE and 259 control adolescents without epilepsy participated in this cross-sectional, multicenter study. Self-concept was measured using the Harter's Self-Perception Profile for Children. Depressive symptoms and anxiety were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). A group-by-sex interaction was evaluated using an analysis of covariance controlling for age.
  
  
  
  Adolescents with epilepsy had a lower level of self-concept, especially in domains of behavioral conduct (partial eta(2): 0.257) and social acceptance (partial eta(2): 0.116), than controls (p<0.05). The level of self-concept did not differ by sex in the group with epilepsy. A group-by-sex interaction effect was found on social acceptance (p=0.042). Unlike the control group, age was not correlated with self-concept in AWE. Physical appearance was negatively correlated with HADS-anxiety scores (r=-0.291, p<0.01) but only in girls with epilepsy. Epilepsy duration was correlated with social acceptance in boys (r=0.211, p<0.05) and physical appearance in girls (r=-0.249, p<0.05).
  
  
  
  Adolescents with epilepsy had a lower level of self-concept, especially in the domains of behavioral conduct and social acceptance, than controls. Sex differences in self-concept were identified in the control group but not in the group with epilepsy. Physical appearance was negatively correlated with anxiety in girls with epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: salee@amc.seoul.kr.
authors.forename: Sang-Ahm
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Ju
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kyungpook National University Children's Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soonhak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eom
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012929:Psychological Distance; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Adolescents with epilepsy; Depression; Physical appearance; Self-concept; Sex difference; Social acceptance