Continued caregiver burden: Seizure-free may not equal burden-free

While caregiver burden has been studied in various patient populations, it has not been addressed in caregivers of patients with epilepsy. This study investigated the incidence of perceived caregiver burden in caregivers of p atients following surgical treatment for epilepsy, usually temporal lobecto my. The extent to which caregiver and patient variables were related to bur den was explored. Data were collected on caregiver depression, caregiver co ping skills, the caregiver's evaluation of the patient's functioning, demog raphic information, and the patient's seizure control for 34 caregiver-pati ent dyads. The occurrence of significant burden in this population was comp arable with the literature for other populations; however, the frequency of item endorsement varied. Regression analysis suggests that depression and patient functioning, separate from seizure control, predicted caregiver bur den. The use of emotion-focused coping styles predicted depression. There w ere no differences in the levels of burden or depression in caregivers over time. Additional research is required to evaluate whether these relationsh ips reflect presurgical functioning or an adjustment to the postsurgical st ate. Aspects of patient functioning that are important in caregiver burden also need to be clarified. This research may lead to the development of int ervention strategies designed to prevent or reduce caregiver burden. (C) 19 98 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.