Abstracts

Rationale: Epilepsy is the most prevalent chronic neurological disease. About 75% occurs before age of twenty which can effect children’s growth and development as well as their families. The presnt study aimed at describing the attitudes of Iranian parents with epileptic children towards stressors and their coping with them. Methods: The study was a descriptive-corrational research which 400 parents with epileptic children were participated in the study. The data was collected by using a self constructed questionnaire which consisted three parts (demographic information, stressors, coping with stressors). Results: The results showed different stressors and copying status among fathers and mothers of children with epilepsy. There was significant differences between mothers and fathers’ stress level (p=0.001). Most fathers had moderate stress level (86%) while mothers had lower stress (4.4%). The high level of stress in parents were associated with low level of copying. Length of marriage, having spouse with epilepsy, income, the age of diagnosis were significantly related to the parent’s stress level both. Age, education, length of marriage, child' age and controlling disease had significant relationship with mother’s stress level and the job and having epilepsy had significant relationship with father’s stress level. Conclusions: Parents of children with epilepsy experience different levels of stress also different sources of stressors which need to be considered by health care workers in order to meet their different needs