Epilepsy and its Impact on psychosocial outcomes in Canadian children: Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Children and Youth (NLSCY)

- Survey data used to model math ability and self esteem in children.
- Children with epilepsy do not significantly differ in math scores at the intercept.
- Epilepsy group shows a lag in the rate of growth in math abilities over time.
- This effect is more pronounced when Health Utility Index scores are factored in.
- Self-esteem scores vary in children with epilepsy, with health impairments carrying a negative effect.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to use data from a population-based survey to evaluate the association between childhood epilepsy and social outcomes through tests of mathematics skills, and sense of general self-esteem (GSS).MethodsUsing data from Cycles 1 to 8 of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY), Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to compare baseline math scores and changes in math scores and sense of general self esteem (GSS) over time in children with and without epilepsy. Scores of Health Utility Index (HUI) were factored into the analysis.ResultsChildren with epilepsy do not significantly differ in their scaled math scores in comparison to their peers without epilepsy, at age 12; however, in the two level HLM model the children with epilepsy lagged behind the healthy comparison group in terms of their growth in acquiring knowledge in mathematics. Additionally, when children with epilepsy carry an added health impairment as measured by an imperfect health utility (HUI) score the group shows a slower rate of growth in their math scores over time. Self-esteem measures show variable effects in children with epilepsy alone, and those with added health impairments. The interaction with HUI scores shows a significant negative effect on self-esteem, when epilepsy is associated with added health impairment.ConclusionThe findings suggest that the population of Canadian children surveyed with epilepsy are vulnerable to poorer academic outcomes in mathematics in later years, and this problem is compounded further with the presence of other additional health impairments.