[Epilepsy and rehabilitation using psychological methods (psychotherapy)].

Abstract

41 subjects (39 patients and two mothers) participated in 1983-1988 in group psychotherapy for ambulatory adult patients focused on psychosocial problems and questions of the therapeutic regime. According to the independent evaluation by the attending physician the individually outlined goal was achieved in 38% of the patients. 31% of the patients left without a special effect, however, participation in the group meant probably a certain enrichment of their life. Another 31% of the patients had a negative attitude to participation in the group. Successful patients attended much longer, had a significantly higher verbal IQ and all responded reliably in Washington's psychosocial seizure inventory--WPSI. Conversely, 27% of the other patients gave invalid responses to WPSI. Psychological procedures should be part of a wider scale of rehabilitation approaches to epilepsy, including occupational rehabilitation and club activities.