Randomized Trial of a Program to Enhance the Compéténcies of Children with Epilepsy

Abstract

Summary: A randomized, controlled trial was conducted in Santiago, Chile to test the impact of a child‐centered, family‐focused educational program for children aged 7–14 years with epilepsy and for their parents. The objectives of the program developed and pilot‐tested in Los Angeles, California were to increase the children's knowledge, perceptions of competency, and skills related to dealing with seizures. Children in the experimental group (n = 123) and their parents separately attended four 1 1/2‐h sessions and then met together at the end of each session to share learning experiences. Control children (n = 113) and their parents attended three 2‐h sessions with a traditional lecture followed by question‐and‐answer format. All participants were pretested and then retested 5 months after completion of the educational intervention. Although there was some knowledge increase among children in the control group, the knowledge of children in the experimental group was significantly enh