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Journal of Pediatric Psychology Advance Access originally published online on June 6, 2008
Journal of Pediatric Psychology 2009 34(1):89-96; doi:10.1093/jpepsy/jsn052
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

A Hopelessness Model of Depressive Symptoms in Youth with Epilepsy

Janelle L. Wagner, PhD1, Gigi Smith, CPNP2, Pamela L. Ferguson, PhD3, Stephanie Horton, BS1 and Erin Wilson, BSN2

1Department of Pediatrics, 2College of Nursing, and 3Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina

All correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Janelle L. Wagner, Medical University of South Carolina, Developmental Pediatrics, 135 Rutledge Avenue, MSC 567, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. E-mail: wagnerjl{at}musc.edu


  Abstract

Objective To test the cognitive diathesis-stress and mediational components of the theory of learned hopelessness in youth with epilepsy. Methods Seventy-seven participants ages 9–17 (35 girls, 42 boys) completed measures of depressive symptoms, hopelessness, self-efficacy for seizure management, and attitude toward epilepsy. Caregivers provided information on seizure activity. Diagnostic and treatment information was obtained via medical record review. Results Regression analyses revealed that hopelessness mediated the attitude towards epilepsy–depressive symptom relationship. While attitude toward epilepsy and self-efficacy were independent predictors of depressive symptoms, the relationship of attitudes toward epilepsy and depressive symptoms was not enhanced with low self-efficacy for seizure management. Conclusions Findings support the mediation component of the learned hopelessness theory in youth with epilepsy, suggesting the importance of interventions that assist youth in identifying epilepsy-related aspects of functioning over which they can realistically exercise control and challenging negative thoughts about situations they cannot control.

Key words: depression; epilepsy; learned hopelessness.

Received February 28, 2008; revision received May 1, 2008; accepted May 2, 2008


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