Psychopathology in children with epilepsy: a meta-analysis

To examine the types and severity of psychopathology in children with epilepsy.

A series of meta-analyses were conducted to review 46 studies, including 2,434 children with epilepsy.

Effect sizes were medium to large for comparisons with children from the general population, which indicates that children with epilepsy are at increased risk for psychopathology, including internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Comparisons with children with another chronic illness revealed small to medium effect sizes, indicating that psychopathology in children with epilepsy may partly be attributed to chronicity of the disease. Attention problems, thought problems, and social problems proved to be relatively specific to epilepsy. Comparisons with siblings suggested that psychopathology in children with epilepsy may be associated with family factors, especially where behavioral disorders appear to be more generic.

Clinicians should consider both neurological and psychosocial factors, including the family system, when treating psychopathology in children with epilepsy.