Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 54. No. 4., 2015.
Original scientific paper
Coping skills in children with epilepsy - evaluation of cognitive behavioral therapy intervention
Maja Batista
; Clinical Department of Pediatrics, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Antonela Meštrović
; BEA Centre for Eating Disorders, Zagreb, Croatia
Ana Marija Vekić
Maša Malenica
; Clinical Department of Pediatrics, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Monika Kukuruzović
; Clinical Department of Pediatrics, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Begovac
; Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
A pilot study was conducted to examine the efficiency and satisfaction of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention in youth with epilepsy regarding coping strategies. The CBT intervention was based on the main principles and empirically supported cognitive-behavioral
techniques. The intervention consists of epilepsy education, stress education, and coping skill strategies. Seventeen children and adolescents aged 9-17 diagnosed with epilepsy for at least one year, with at least average intelligence and no history of serious mental illness completed the CBT intervention during summer camp, providing data on the efficiency of and satisfaction with CBT intervention. Upon completion of the CBT intervention, study subjects achieved significantly higher scores on the following Scale of Coping with Stress subscales: Problem solving; Seeking for social support from friends; Seeking for social support from family; and Cognitive restructuring, for both measures of usage frequency and effectiveness of each subscale. The participants reported a high level of satisfaction with the CBT intervention. This study provided explanation of research limitations and recommendations for future clinical trials.
Keywords
Epilepsy psychology; Child; Stress, psychological; Adaptation, psychological; Cognitive therapy – methods; Chronic disease
Hrčak ID:
155429
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2015.
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