Chronic sorrow and coping in families of children with epilepsy

Epilepsy, a common problem in child neurology, affects the entire family. There is a potential for such psychosocial consequences as parental chronic sorrow and alterations in coping. In this study, 67 parents completed brief questionnaires about their sorrow and coping styles. Results demonstrated chronic sorrow as measured by the Adapted Burke Questionnaire (10.45 +/- 7.9). Interestingly, the total score was not significantly different between parents of children with refractory and nonrefractory epilepsy or parents of children with comorbid or without comorbid conditions. Selection of the individual item disbelief, however, was significantly increased in parents of children with nonrefractory epilepsy, and selection of the item anger was significantly increased in parents of children with comorbid conditions. Parental coping styles were similar to those reported in the normative data for the instrument used, the Coping Health Inventory for Parents (CHIP). The correlation between chronic sorrow and coping was significant between the grief component of sorrow and Coping Pattern II of the CHIP. Implications for practice include earlier identification of parental feelings of sorrow and coping styles, which may contribute to a positive outcome.