Social competence of preschool Children with Epilepsy Compared to Control Group

Epilepsy is a chronic neural disorder which has impact on cognitive and behavioral abilities of children. Also،epilepsy-related factors may impaire the achievement of social competence. The aim of this study was to assess the cognitive-behavioral problems and the social competence in children. In this descriptive research 30 children 3 to 7 years old with epilepsy who referred to child neurology clinic in Ghaem hospital in 88-90 year and 30 healthy children 3 to 7 years old were selected. Social competence، behavioral characteristic، cognitive abilities and demographic information were evaluated via special questionnaires. Student''s T test was used to compare the mean values between test scores. Behavioral and cognitive problems in the children with epilepsy in subcategories of emotional symptom، Conduct problems، hyperactivity-inattention، total difficulties and impulsive-hyperactive، scores were significantly higher than the control group. No significant difference was found between 2 groups in subcategories of peer relationship problems، prosocial behavior، impact scores، learning problems، psychosomatic disorders and anxiety disorders. According to the vineland social maturity scale، children with epilepsy had lower scores than healthy children but this difference did not reach to the significant level. Our findings consistent with most of the previous studies، revealed that children with epilepsy had more behavior problems than the healthy children and these children were confronted with a higher risk of inapprppriate social maturity. Therefore، educational and psychological interventions were needed to support the appropriate psycho-social development of these children.