Anxiety Disorders in Adults with Epilepsy: Key Findings and Implications

Researchers at Giresun University, Turkey, have published a study examining the relationship between self-esteem, social anxiety, and seizure frequency in adults with epilepsy. The study, published in Epilepsy & Behavior, aimed to determine the self-esteem and social anxiety levels of adult individuals with epilepsy and investigate the moderating effect of seizure frequency on these variables.

Key Takeaways:

• The study included a sample of 307 adults with epilepsy living in Van province, eastern Turkey, and found statistically significant differences in social anxiety levels based on educational status and occupation.
• Self-esteem levels were found to be high and homogeneously distributed among participants, independent of sociodemographic factors such as gender, age, and educational status.
• The relationship between seizure frequency and self-esteem had a significant negative predictive effect on social fear and restlessness in new situations.
• The study concluded that social anxiety levels varied according to educational and occupational status.
• Researchers found that seizure frequency did not have a statistically significant moderating effect on the relationship between self-esteem and social anxiety.

Statistics:

• 307 adults with epilepsy were included in the study, making it a significant sample size for this population.
• The study found p-values of 0.001 and 0.005 for differences in social anxiety levels based on educational status and occupation, respectively.
• The negative predictive effect of seizure frequency on social fear and restlessness was reported to be -0.497 (p = 0.001).
• The study used a 95% confidence level for data analysis, which is a standard threshold for statistical significance.

Sources:

• The interplay between self-esteem and social anxiety in adults with epilepsy: the role of seizure frequency. Epilepsy & Behavior, 2025;173:110764.