Moving the self-esteem of people with epilepsy by supportive group: a clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: People with epilepsy (PWE) face physical and mental illness, and social stigma, which affect their self-esteem and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a support group on the self-esteem of PWE.

METHODS: A Quasi-experimental study was performed on 120 PWE in the Epilepsy Clinic at Srinagarind Hospital.  The experimental group (N=60) attended the support group before receiving regular health care services. The control group (N=60) received only regular healthcare services. Data was collected by using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale scoring before and after the experiment. The score was analyzed by using a paired t-test and an independent t-test.

RESULTS: The study showed that before the experiment, the self-esteem score of the control group was significantly higher than the experimental group. After the experiment, the scores of the control group and the experimental group showed a significant statistical difference. The score in the control group was significantly lower than the experimental group, while the score in the experimental group was significantly higher than before the experiment.

CONCLUSION: The support group improves the self-esteem of PWE. Medical personnel should set up a support group for PWE to enhance their self-esteem.