Determining the coping strategies of individuals with epilepsy

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the coping styles of patients with epilepsy are associated with certain demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables.

A survey of 200 patients using several tests including the Brief-COPE was conducted.

Nine subscales of the Brief-COPE achieved acceptable internal consistency and were employed in study analysis. Using principal component analysis, six subscales correlated well with one another, representing engagement-type coping strategies. The other three also correlated well, representing disengagement-type strategies. As a group, our patients favored engagement-type strategies. On univariate analysis, increased age, being African-American, receiving disability benefits, and work status were associated with the use of engagement-type strategies, while on multiple linear regression, only age and race were independently associated. Low BMQ-S scores, low income level, and not driving were associated with the use of disengagement-type strategies both on univariate and multivariate analyses.

Among patients with epilepsy, certain demographic and psychosocial variables are associated with particular coping styles.