Self-efficacy and social support as mediators in the relation between disease severity and quality of life in patients with epilepsy.

PURPOSE

This study examined the influence of two psychosocial variables mediating between disease severity and quality of life (QoL) in epilepsy; social support and mastery (measured by locus of control and self-efficacy). A model placing these two variables as mediators between disease severity and 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, Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, Epileptic Self-Efficacy Scale, Locus of Control scale, and the World Health Organization's Quality of Life Questionnaire, 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 GFI, 0.95). Ninety percent of the variance of the WHOQOL was explained by a combination 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 reinforcing their self-efficacy and locus of control, as well as by improving their SoS.