REVIEW PAPER
The role of coping strategies and psychosocial factors in epilepsy: a systematic review
1
National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
2
Institute for Psychological Research, Faculty of Psychology, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
3
Epilepsy Center, J. M. Ramos Mejía Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Submission date: 2025-09-23
Acceptance date: 2026-05-13
Online publication date: 2026-07-09
Corresponding author
Lucila Gonzalez Molina
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Buenos Aires, Argentina. Instituto de Investigaciones de la Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Buenos Aires, Argentina. Instituto de Investigaciones de la Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires, Argentina
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to identify the coping strategies of adults with epilepsy and to describe their relationships with psychoso-cial factors. These aspects are relevant to quality of life and psychosocial adaptation in epilepsy. A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, using the databases PubMed, Cochrane Library, SciELO, Science Direct, and Li-lacs. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. People with epilepsy employed a variety of coping strategies, most frequently emotion-focused approaches. Coping was associated with levels of psychopathology, quality of life, illness perception, and clinical and sociodemographic variables. The findings underscore the role of coping in overall well-being in epilepsy. Howev-er, the absence of longitudinal studies limits a deeper understanding of these strategies. Future research assessing the effec-tiveness of interventions aimed at promoting adaptive coping could enhance clinical care and contribute to improved out-comes for people living with epilepsy.
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