Depression, anxiety, and clinical history in Spanish-speaking American patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) compared with Spanish-speaking American patients with epilepsy.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare Spanish-speaking American patients with epilepsy to Spanish-speaking American patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) on depression, anxiety, and other clinical variables.

Background: Research on Spanish-speaking American patients with epilepsy or PNES is relatively infrequent, with only a few studies on psychopathology in these two patient groups. Studies of English-speaking patients indicate that those with PNES present with greater depression and anxiety and report poorer quality of life (QOL) when compared with persons with epilepsy (PWEs).

Depression and quality of life in Spanish-speaking immigrant persons with epilepsy compared with those in English-speaking US-born persons with epilepsy.

Objective: This study aimed to examine levels of depression and quality of life in Spanish-speaking (less acculturated) immigrants with epilepsy compared with those in English-speaking US-born persons with epilepsy (PWEs).

Methods: The study included 85 PWEs - 38 Spanish-speaking immigrants with epilepsy and 47 US-born PWEs. All patients underwent video-EEG monitoring and completed depression and quality-of-life inventories in their dominant language (Spanish/English).