OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in an open trial the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy as a treatment of adults with dissociative seizures (i.e., "pseudoseizures"). BACKGROUND: Although suggestions have been made concerning the management of patients with dissociative seizures, no studies have previously evaluated the systematic use of cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of this disorder. METHOD: Twenty patients diagnosed with dissociative seizures were offered treatment comprising 12 sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy. Principal outcome measures were dissociative seizure frequency and psychosocial functioning, including improvement in employment status and mood. Measures were administered before treatment, at the end of treatment, and at a 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Treatment was completed by 16 patients (questionnaire measures were not available for 4 patients who discontinued treatment). Following treatment, there was a highly significant reduction in seizure frequency and an improvement in self-rated psychosocial functioning. These improvements were maintained at the 6-month follow-up. There was also a tendency for patients to have improved their employment status between the start of treatment and the 6-month follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: In this open prospective trial, cognitive behavioral therapy was associated with a reduction in dissociative seizure frequency and an improvement in psychosocial functioning in adults with dissociative seizures.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in an open trial the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy as a treatment of adults with dissociative seizures (i.e., "pseudoseizures"). BACKGROUND: Although suggestions have been made concerning the management of patients with dissociative seizures, no studies have previously evaluated the systematic use of cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of this disorder. METHOD: Twenty patients diagnosed with dissociative seizures were offered treatment comprising 12 sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy. Principal outcome measures were dissociative seizure frequency and psychosocial functioning, including improvement in employment status and mood. Measures were administered before treatment, at the end of treatment, and at a 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Treatment was completed by 16 patients (questionnaire measures were not available for 4 patients who discontinued treatment). Following treatment, there was a highly significant reduction in seizure frequency and an improvement in self-rated psychosocial functioning. These improvements were maintained at the 6-month follow-up. There was also a tendency for patients to have improved their employment status between the start of treatment and the 6-month follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: In this open prospective trial, cognitive behavioral therapy was associated with a reduction in dissociative seizure frequency and an improvement in psychosocial functioning in adults with dissociative seizures.
Authors: L H Goldstein; T Chalder; C Chigwedere; M R Khondoker; J Moriarty; B K Toone; J D C Mellers Journal: Neurology Date: 2010-06-15 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Laura H Goldstein; Emily J Robinson; Izabela Pilecka; Iain Perdue; Iris Mosweu; Julie Read; Harriet Jordan; Matthew Wilkinson; Gregg Rawlings; Sarah J Feehan; Hannah Callaghan; Elana Day; James Purnell; Maria Baldellou Lopez; Alice Brockington; Christine Burness; Norman A Poole; Carole Eastwood; Michele Moore; John Dc Mellers; Jon Stone; Alan Carson; Nick Medford; Markus Reuber; Paul McCrone; Joanna Murray; Mark P Richardson; Sabine Landau; Trudie Chalder Journal: Health Technol Assess Date: 2021-06 Impact factor: 4.014