Psychologic and social adjustment to epilepsy in Rochester, Minnesota

The psychologic and social aspects of epilepsy have rarely been assessed in community-based samples. We administered the Washington Psychosocial Seizure Inventory in 1985-1986 to 125 nonretarded adults, 18 to 59 years of age, who in 1980 had active epilepsy and resided in Rochester, Minnesota. Individuals having seizures or taking anticonvulsant medications within the past 12 months had somewhat poorer adjustment than those without recent seizures or medications, but even this more severely affected group appeared relatively well adjusted.