The impact of affectivity dispositions, self-efficacy and locus of control on psychosocial adjustment in patients with epilepsy

Abstract

The main hypothesis of this study was that negative and positive affectivity, self-efficacy and health-related locus of control are important for psychosocial adjustment in patients with epilepsy. These dimensions are rarely examined directly in relation to the psychosocial adjustment in these patients. Correlations between measures of these constructs and measures of psychosocial adjustment in epilepsy were investigated. One hundred and one patients answered the Washington psychosocial seizure inventory (WPSI), the positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS-X), the multidimensional health locus of control scales (MHLC), the generalized self-efficacy scale and a scale measuring self-efficacy in epilepsy. Reliability analyses, correlational analyses and multiple stepwise regression analyses were performed. Negative affectivity (NA), positive affectivity (PA) and generalized self-efficacy showed high correlations with the WPSI scales emotional adjustment, overall psychosocial adjustment and quality of life. The epilepsy self-efficacy measures showed high, but lower correlations with the same WPSI scales. The MHLC scales showed low correlations with the WPSI scales. Multiple regression analyses showed that PA, NA and measures of self-efficacy explained more than 50% of the variances on emotional adjustment, overall psychosocial functioning and quality of life. In conclusion, positive and negative affectivity and self-efficacy are important predictors of perceived emotional adjustment, psychosocial adjustment and quality of life in patients with epilepsy. NA is the best predictor, but PA and self-efficacy measures give unique predictions independent of NA.