Psychosocial functioning following surgical treatment for intractable epilepsy in childhood.

Methods: Psychosocial functioning was examined in 13 children who had undergone surgical treatment for intractable epilepsy. The ratings of each child's social, emotional and behavioural problems were obtained via parent and teacher reports made an average of 2 years post-operatively.

Results: Parents viewed their children as having greater social difficulties than reported in standardisation samples. Although the overall level of difficulty fell below clinically significant cut-offs, the proportion of children who were rated as having clinically significant levels of difficulties approached significance. Teachers rated these children as displaying more symptoms of anxiety and depression, although the levels remained subclinical.

Discussion: These results are discussed in view of the complex interaction between neurological and environmental variables involved in social-emotional functioning following surgical treatment for epilepsy.