Self-Esteem in Adolescents Living with Epilepsy and the Implications for Clinical Psychology

Background: Epilepsy is a global health care concern affecting an estimated 50-70 million people worldwide and accounting for 0.75% of the global burden of disease. Adolescents living with epilepsy have concerns beyond seizures, which impact their psychological well-being and, by extension, their self-esteem. Self-esteem refers to an individual’s self-appraisal of his or her worth as a person and is conceptualized as a feeling that one is good enough. It involves feelings of self-acceptance and self-respect, reflecting a perception rather than a reality. This study explored the impact of epilepsy on self-esteem among adolescents living with epilepsy and the implications for clinical psychology. Materials and methods: A quantitative research design was utilized, and data was collected from 103 participants aged 13-18 years attending the Kenya Association for the Welfare of People Living with Epilepsy (KAWE) clinics, using a questionnaire and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES). Results: The participants’ overall self-esteem was within normal parameters, M=17.12 and SD=3.00. The highest score was 25, which falls within the normal range, while the lowest score was 6, indicating a low level of self-esteem. Self-esteem was influenced by education level, living environment, medication regimen, seizure type, and seizure frequency. There was a positive correlation between educational level and self-esteem scores, p=0.004 (≤ 0.05), indicating that education improved self-concept and resilience in living with epilepsy. Urban living environments provided better support systems and opportunities that enhanced self-esteem, p= 0.030 (≤ 0.05), indicating that environmental factors such as access to social support and economic opportunities played a role in shaping psychological well-being. Conclusion: There is a need for a multidimensional approach to enhancing self-esteem of adolescents living with epilepsy. Gender and age-specific programs that foster resilience, positive self-concept, and coping skills should be developed to address gaps identified between different age groups and sexes. There is need for policy advocacy to increase access to mental health, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas.