Comparison of psychosocial screeners in an epilepsy clinic

Authors

Gabrielle L. Sarlo, Center for Neuroscience, Children's National Research Institute, Washington, DC, United States.
Taylor Haughton, Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Health CNH, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.
Eleni Rizakos, Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Health CNH, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.
Stephanie Merwin, Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Health CNH, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.
Kathryn A. Havens, Center for Neuroscience, Children's National Research Institute, Washington, DC, United States; Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Health CNH, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.
Archana Pasupuleti, Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Health CNH, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.
William D. Gaillard, Center for Neuroscience, Children's National Research Institute, Washington, DC, United States; Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Health CNH, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.
Madison M. Berl, Center for Neuroscience, Children's National Research Institute, Washington, DC, United States; Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Health CNH, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States. Electronic address: Mberl@childrensnational.org.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

11-1-2023

Journal

Epilepsy & behavior : E&B

Volume

148

DOI

10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109452

Keywords

ADHD; Emotion; Epilepsy; Pediatric; Screening measures

Abstract

Screenings are recommended for co-occurring conditions in pediatric epilepsy. However, there is limited research regarding which screener to implement in the clinic. This study aimed to compare different screening measures for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and emotional concerns in a pediatric epilepsy population during a routine neurology clinic visit. Fifty (22%) of 226 contacted parents of children with epilepsy ages 5-17 years old agreed to participate. Screening measures included the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Hyperactivity/Inattention (ADHD), Emotional Problems (E) subscales), the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Epilepsy Module (PedsQL-EM; Executive Functioning (EF), Mood/Behavior (M/B) subscales), and the ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS). Analyses comparing measures included Chi Square, Pearson's correlation, and agreement statistics (Cohen's kappa, overall agreement). Consistent with prior literature, positive screening rates ranged from 40% to 72% for ADHD concerns and 38% to 46% for emotional concerns. Agreement between measures ranged from fair to substantial, with the highest agreement (85%; κ = 0.70) between the SDQ-E and PedsQL-EM-M/B. Although all measures rendered positive screens within expected rates, there are differences among the measures that inform screening measure selection.

APA Citation

Sarlo, Gabrielle L.; Haughton, Taylor; Rizakos, Eleni; Merwin, Stephanie; Havens, Kathryn A.; Pasupuleti, Archana; Gaillard, William D.; and Berl, Madison M., "Comparison of psychosocial screeners in an epilepsy clinic" (2023). GW Authored Works. Paper 3887.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/3887

Department

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences