Depression and Perception of Stigma: A Correlational Study of Epileptic Patients

Abstract: Epilepsy is found to be standout amongst the most wellknown and unending neurological issue portrayed by irregular recurring and extreme neuronal discharge within the central nervous system. Objective: The study was an endeavor to find out the relationship of depression and perception of stigma in patients with different types of epilepsy where, stigma go about as a covariate of depression in epilepsy. Methods: A co-relational study was conducted on 100 epileptic patients, chosen from the indoor and outdoor departments of Pakistan Ordinance Factories (POF) Hospital in Wah Cantt, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad and Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Hospital in Rawalpindi. In order to measure the feelings of stigma and depression in epileptic patients Urdu translation of stigma of epilepsy scale by Jacoby, 1994 was used combined with Siddique Shah Depression scale (SSDS) (1992). Results: Patients with generalized epilepsy score highmon both depression and Stigma scale (M=98.26, SD=28.26), (M=2.60, SD=.66) with most astounding score on subscale hopelessness of depression. Likewise, results demonstrated that stigmatization go about as a covariant of depression (p < .01), finally when impact of stigmatization was controlled noteworthy impact of three distinctive epilepsy types was found on scores of depression (p < .001). A positive relationship between depression and stigma was observed. Conclusions: Higher levels of depression and feelings of stigma were reported by generalized epileptic patients where feelings of stigma were responsible for the development of depression in epileptic patients. Keywords: Depression, Stigma, Epilepsy, Siddiqui Shah Depression Scale