Agreeing to disagree: Discrepancies between self and parent reported social functioning in adolescents with epilepsy without intellectual disability

Objective

Adolescence is a distinct developmental period involving profound changes in social processing and motivation. As epilepsy is associated with risk for social challenges, it is important to assess the impact of epilepsy on social functioning during this developmental period. The primary aim of this study was to compare levels of social functioning in adolescents (ages 12–18) with epilepsy and without an intellectual disability, and their similarly aged, healthy peers, as reported both by the adolescents and by their parents. Additional aims were to assess parent-youth agreement and examine the association between social functioning and epilepsy characteristics.

Method

Adolescents with epilepsy (n = 100), healthy controls (n = 56) and their parents completed questionnaires assessing the adolescent’s social competence, peer challenges, and close friendships. Controlling for adolescents’ age, sex, and total household income, multiple linear regressions were completed to compare social functioning between adolescents with and without epilepsy and to examine associations between epilepsy characteristics and social functioning.

Results

Compared to parents of healthy peers, parents of adolescents with epilepsy reported poorer social functioning outcomes. In contrast, adolescents with epilepsy reported similar levels of social functioning to healthy controls. Among the epilepsy group, having seizures within the past 12 months, greater epilepsy severity, and having a temporal lobe focus were independently associated with poorer social functioning.

Conclusion

Adolescence with epilepsy may be at increased risk for peer difficulties and lower social competence compared to their healthy peers. Discrepancies between adolescent and parent reports of social functioning should be carefully considered in psychological assessments and future research.