TY - BOOK

T1 - Psychological perspectives on stigma and self-compassion in adults with epilepsy

AU - Baker, David

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - Section 1 describes a systematic literature review examining quantitative correlates of stigmain adults with epilepsy living in Western countries. To identify relevant literature, fouracademic databases (PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus) were systematicallysearched using key terms related to stigma and epilepsy. The findings of the reviewsuggested that stigma can be predicted by demographic, illness-related, and psychosocialfactors; although associations were found to be highly culturally-specific. Detrimental effectsof stigma included both physical health, including effective management of the condition,and psychological wellbeing, including difficulties such as depression and anxiety. Thesefindings suggested that culturally-informed educational initiatives and therapeuticinterventions which aim to address stigma in people with epilepsy (PWE) are needed.Section 2 describes a research study examining the extent to which self-compassion canpredict depression, anxiety, and resilience in PWE, when controlling for other importantdemographic and illness-related variables. Adults with epilepsy were invited to take part in asurvey either online or in epilepsy or neurology clinics. Data were then analysed usinghierarchical multiple regression models. In this sample of PWE, self-compassion was foundto significantly predict lower depression and anxiety and higher resilience when othersignificant sociodemographic and illness-related variables had been taken into account.These findings indicated that self-compassion is an important factor in determiningpsychological outcomes for PWE, providing preliminary support for the use of compassionfocusedapproaches in this population.Section 3 provides a critical appraisal of the thesis. This includes a summary of the mainfindings; a discussion of some of the key decisions, challenges, and professional issues identified during the research process; a consideration of potential future research arisingfrom the findings; and personal reflections on the process of undertaking the work.

AB - Section 1 describes a systematic literature review examining quantitative correlates of stigmain adults with epilepsy living in Western countries. To identify relevant literature, fouracademic databases (PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus) were systematicallysearched using key terms related to stigma and epilepsy. The findings of the reviewsuggested that stigma can be predicted by demographic, illness-related, and psychosocialfactors; although associations were found to be highly culturally-specific. Detrimental effectsof stigma included both physical health, including effective management of the condition,and psychological wellbeing, including difficulties such as depression and anxiety. Thesefindings suggested that culturally-informed educational initiatives and therapeuticinterventions which aim to address stigma in people with epilepsy (PWE) are needed.Section 2 describes a research study examining the extent to which self-compassion canpredict depression, anxiety, and resilience in PWE, when controlling for other importantdemographic and illness-related variables. Adults with epilepsy were invited to take part in asurvey either online or in epilepsy or neurology clinics. Data were then analysed usinghierarchical multiple regression models. In this sample of PWE, self-compassion was foundto significantly predict lower depression and anxiety and higher resilience when othersignificant sociodemographic and illness-related variables had been taken into account.These findings indicated that self-compassion is an important factor in determiningpsychological outcomes for PWE, providing preliminary support for the use of compassionfocusedapproaches in this population.Section 3 provides a critical appraisal of the thesis. This includes a summary of the mainfindings; a discussion of some of the key decisions, challenges, and professional issues identified during the research process; a consideration of potential future research arisingfrom the findings; and personal reflections on the process of undertaking the work.

U2 - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/89

DO - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/89

M3 - Doctoral Thesis

PB - Lancaster University

ER -