Social support and emotional adjustment in people with chronic epilepsy

People with epilepsy have been consistently shown to have high rates of emotional problems. A variety of psychosocial variables has been proposed attempting to account for these difficulties. However, one such variable-social support-has tended to be overlooked. This study attempts to rectify this and investigates the effect of social support, in a number of different guises, on emotional adjustment in people with epilepsy. Sixty-five subjects completed a number of social support and emotional adjustment questionnaires. The results suggested that perceived support from both family and friends were factors in emotional adjustment, even when putative influential factors were considered. This study further emphasizes the multifaceted nature of emotional adjustment in people with epilepsy and suggests that social support should be considered when further investigating this area.