Promoting Physical Activity Among Young People with Epilepsy: Are We Making the Most of Behavioural Science? A Scoping Review

Physical activity can help people manage their epilepsy, yet young people with epilepsy are less active than their peers. Behaviour change interventions are needed. Behavioural science offers a range of theories, concepts and tools that increase the likelihood that such interventions will be effective. This scoping review assessed the extent to which physical activity behaviour change interventions for young people with epilepsy have been designed and evaluated using behavioural science tools. Systematic electronic database searches (last updated 3 December 2025) identified seven publications, reporting six distinct intervention trials. Intervention reports were coded to identify how behaviour change science had been drawn on. Interventions were also coded for evidence of effectiveness. None were identified as showing convergent evidence of effectiveness. For three interventions, there was limited evidence of effectiveness based on within-group increases in physical activity or quality of life, and for three, there was no evidence of effectiveness for physical activity or quality of life. Interventions using goal-setting, guidance on performance or information on health consequences were more commonly found in interventions showing some evidence of effectiveness than those showing no such evidence. Limited evidence was found of explicit behavioural science use in published reports of physical activity promotion interventions for young people with epilepsy. We recommend ways in which intervention developers can draw more on behavioural science theory, evidence and tools when developing, evaluating and reporting interventions, and therefore increase realisation of the benefits of physical activity interventions for this population.