Multietiological determinants of psychopathology and social competence in children with epilepsy.

The purpose of this investigation was to inquire into the multietiological determinants of psychopathology and social competence in children with epilepsy. The relationship between behavioral functioning as assessed by the Child Behavior Checklist and a variety of biological, psychosocial, medication and demographic risk factors was investigated in a sample of 183 children with epilepsy aged 6-16. Several risk factors were found to be related to each behavioral measure. The results are discussed both in terms of their implications for models of psychopathology in epilepsy as well as their relationship to previous findings in the epilepsy/psychopathology field.