M. Amir et al., Self-efficacy and social support as mediators in the relation between disease severity and quality of life in patients with epilepsy, EPILEPSIA, 40(2), 1999, pp. 216-224
Purpose: This study examined the influence of two psychosocial variables me
diating between disease severity and quality of life (Qol) in epilepsy; soc
ial support and mastery (measured by locus of control and self-efficacy). A
model placing these two variables as mediators between disease severity an
d QoL was tested with structural equation modeling.
Methods: Eighty-nine patients with epilepsy (58% men, age 36 +/- 12 years)
were given the following instruments: Liverpool Seizure Severity Scale, Int
erpersonal Support Evaluation List, Epileptic Self-Efficacy Scale, Locus of
Control scale, and the World Health Organization's Quality of Life Questio
nnaire, the WHOQOL.
Results: Structural equation modeling showed good fit between the research
model and the data (Bentler-Bonett Normalized Index of fit, 0.96; LISREL GF
I, 0.95). Ninety percent of the Variance of the WHOQOL was explained by a c
ombination of disease severity, self-efficacy in epilepsy, social support,
and locus of control. Mastery was found to mediate the correlation between
disease severity and QoL, and social support was found to act as a mediator
between disease severity and mastery.
Conclusions: The study findings emphasize the possibility of improving QoL
among patients with epilepsy by counseling and treatment aimed at reinforci
ng their self-efficacy and locus of control, as well as by improving their
SoS.