Self-concept : a measure of psychosocial functioning of the adolescent with epilepsy : relationship to family's shared cognitive understanding of the condition / by R. Laura Wechsler.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Microformat

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Wechsler, R. Laura.

Contributor:

Dore, Martha M., advisor.

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Penn dissertations--Social Work.

Social Work--Penn dissertations.

Local Subjects:

Penn dissertations--Social Work.

Social Work--Penn dissertations.

Physical Description:

246 leaves ; 29 cm

Production:

1990.

Summary:

Crucial to enhancement of psychosocial functioning of adolescents with epilepsy is accurate and sufficient epilepsy information, seemingly a scarce family resource. Assessed was the extent to which accurate epilepsy information actively sought and shared among family members and relationship studied between epilepsy knowledge, communication, and specific demographic variables on self-concept. Employing a correlational design with purposive sampling, 25 families (100 participants) were secured through neurology groups located in suburban Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, comprehensive epilepsy centers, and Epilepsy Foundations. Data collection employed four instruments administered during home interviews: newly developed Wechsler Demographic Guide and Wechsler, Garstad, Callanan, Sussman (1988) Epilepsy Quotient, the standardized Barnes & Olson (1982) Parent-Adolescent Communication instrument and Piers-Harris (1969) Self-Concept Scale, and spanned an eight month period. Statistical analyses included: item analysis, frequency distributions, Pearson correlation coefficients, comparative t-test, and multiple regression. Major findings: These predominately white, intact, high socioeconomic status study families actively searched for epilepsy information from many sources which varied across family roles; major sources were medical profession, schools, and parents; yet family members hold substantial rate of factual misconceptions; number of sources of epilepsy information unrelated to level of epilepsy knowledge; level of epilepsy knowledge unrelated to quality of communication between family members; complex communication pattern found between family members; later onset related to more open communication with parents; problem communication more negatively affected self-concept than open communication had positive effect; parents held high expectations of academic achievement for adolescents; active and open sharing of epilepsy information associated with behavior of siblings; and self-concept of adolescents with epilepsy and non-epileptic siblings tended to be more similar than different. A creative social work approach toward epilepsy education is suggested for enhancement of adaptive family functioning.

Notes:

Thesis (D.S.W. in Social Work)--School of Social Work, University of Pennsylvania, 1990.

Includes bibliography.

Local Notes:

University Microfilms order no.: 91-08047.

OCLC:

187461727