Family functioning in subjects with pseudoseizures and epilepsy

The purpose of this study was to identify differences in family functioning between subjects with pseudoseizures and their families, and control subje cts with epilepsy Thirty-one adult subjects with pseudoseizures and 31 cont rols with intractable epilepsy, whose diagnoses were confirmed using video- EEG, were recruited from the epilepsy unit of a tertiary care hospital over a 4-year period. Each study participant and their first-degree adult famil y members completed two standardized questionnaires designed to measure fam ily functioning: the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) and the Beaver s Self-Report Family Inventory (SFI). Individuals with pseudoseizures, when compared with epileptic subjects, exhibited significantly elevated scores in three scales of the FAD and in one scale of the SFI, indicating greater psychopathology within the family, as perceived by the individual. Statisti cally significant differences with the FAD were on measures of affective in volvement (p = .044), communication (p = .004), and general functioning (p = .013). The SFI revealed significantly greater difficulty with conflict (p = .050). No differences were noted between subjects with both pseudoseizur es and epilepsy and subjects with pseudoseizures alone. In comparison with the families of the epileptic group, the families of subjects with pseudose izures displayed statistically significant elevations in their responses on the roles scale (p = .003) of the FAD. The responses of the family members did not differ in regard to the role they assumed within the family unit ( i.e., spouse, parent). In summary, individuals with pseudoseizures view the ir families as being more dysfunctional, particularly in the area of commun ication, whereas their family members perceived difficulties in defining ro les. This suggests that family education and interventions focusing on thes e areas, may be an important aspect of the treatment of patients with pseud oseizures.