Premium
Theory of mind and social functioning in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy
Author(s) -
Wang WeiHan,
Shih YangHsin,
Yu HsiangYu,
Yen DerJen,
Lin YungYang,
Kwan ShangYeong,
Chen Chien,
Hua MauSun
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/epi.13023
Subject(s) - psychology , theory of mind , wechsler adult intelligence scale , neuropsychology , temporal lobe , epilepsy , intelligence quotient , social cognition , checklist , social skills , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , cognition , audiology , psychiatry , cognitive psychology , medicine
Summary Objective This study aimed to explore the effects of theory of mind (ToM) and related potential risk factors, including cognitive functions, psychiatric status, and seizure‐related clinical variables, on social functioning in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy ( TLE ). Methods Sixty‐seven patients with intractable TLE who were potential candidates for epilepsy surgery and 30 matched controls were included. All participants completed four tasks measuring different levels of ToM (False Belief, Faux Pas Recognition, Implication Stories, and Visual Cartoon), the Symptom Checklist‐90‐Revised ( SCL ‐90‐R), the Social and Occupational Functioning Scale for Epilepsy ( SOFSE ), and neuropsychological tests. Results The patients exhibited impairments in both basic and advanced ToM. Multiple regression analyses revealed the following: (1) the SOFSE total score was significantly predicted by the Faux Pas Recognition ( FPR ), Global Severity Index ( GSI ) score of the SCL ‐90‐R, and Full‐Scale intelligence quotient ( IQ ) of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), which accounted for 38%, 11%, and 8% of the variance, respectively; and (2) the FPR was a significant predictor of all SOFSE subscales, whereas the GSI score contributed substantially to the Interpersonal Relationships, Communication, and Occupation subscales of the SOFSE . Significance Advanced ToM, measured by impaired faux pas recognition, is a relatively strong predictor of poor social functioning in surgical candidates for intractable TLE . Identifying ToM impairment may help plan nonpharmacologic treatment for improving social functions in patients with intractable TLE .