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Symbolic function explored in children with epilepsy and headache

S La Grutta1, R Lo Baido, G Schiera

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.

Minerva Pediatrica
|November 6, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Children with epilepsy and primary headache show significant psychological suffering and altered dream recall. Cognitive abilities remain unaffected, but their imaginary defenses are impacted by illness.

Area of Science:

  • Neuropsychology
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Illness can impact cognitive and psychological functions.
  • Epilepsy and primary headache are common conditions in children.
  • Understanding symbolic functions is crucial for assessing child mental health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore symbolic functions in children with epilepsy and primary headache.
  • To assess cognitive development and psychological suffering in these pediatric groups.
  • To investigate the impact of chronic conditions on mentalization and defense mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 55 children (7-11 years) with epilepsy and/or primary headache and 75 controls.
  • Utilized colored progressive matrices for cognitive assessment.
  • Employed dream interviews, drawing stories, and the Düss fairytale method for psychological evaluation.

Main Results:

  • Cognitive performances were comparable between clinical and control groups.
  • Significant differences observed in dream coherence and recall quality.
  • Children with epilepsy exhibited heightened psychological suffering and difficulties processing emotions.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric epilepsy and headache are associated with significant psychological distress.
  • Symbolic function analysis reveals distinct patterns of repression and dissociation.
  • These findings highlight the importance of addressing psychological well-being in children with chronic illnesses.
Abstract

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