Executive function deficits among Malaysian children with epilepsy.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pediatric Neurology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Children with epilepsy (CWE) face risks of executive function (EF) deficits impacting behavior, parenting stress, and quality of life (HRQOL).
• Understanding the prevalence and associated factors of EF deficits in CWE is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of EF deficits in Malaysian CWE and identify associated factors.
• To explore the relationship between EF deficits, behavior, parenting stress, and HRQOL in CWE.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 115 Malaysian school-going CWE (aged 6-18) was conducted.
• Exclusion criteria included learning disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, or other chronic medical conditions.
• Validated questionnaires assessed executive functions (BRIEF-2), HRQOL (CHEQOL-25), behavior (SDQ), and parenting stress (PSI-SF).

Main Results:

• The prevalence of EF deficits ranged from 14.8% to 24.3% across different domains.
• Hyperactivity/inattention was significantly associated with all EF deficit domains.
• Parent-child dysfunctional interaction and Chinese ethnicity were linked to specific EF deficits, while higher parenting stress correlated with executive dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• About 20% of Malaysian CWE experience EF deficits, more common in those with hyperactivity, Chinese ethnicity, and elevated parenting stress.
• EF deficits in CWE are associated with reduced HRQOL.
• Interventions should consider ethnic variations, behavioral issues, and parenting stress in managing EF deficits.