1. An evaluation of initial engagement with a virtual group-based psychological treatment for functional seizures.
- Author
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Jones A, Esteban-Serna C, Proctor BJ, Yogarajah M, and Agrawal N
- Subjects
- Aged, Humans, Self Report, Surveys and Questionnaires, Patient Participation, Seizures therapy
- Abstract
Functional seizures are a common neurological presentation but access to evidence-based treatments is sporadic and often delayed. Patient engagement is an essential prerequisite to any treatment benefits, but previous research has not investigated engagement with psychological group treatments. In this service evaluation, we compared patients who initially engaged and disengaged from an online CBT-based group treatment on demographic and clinical variables, and illness-related beliefs. A self-report survey was used to explore reasons for disengagement. Of 64 patients invited to the group treatment, 39 (60.1%) disengaged before the first session. Older age was associated with engagement with the functional seizures group. There were no other group differences between demographic, clinical, or belief-based variables. Patients who disengaged reported the timing and format as barriers to joining and had preferences for individual and in-person interventions. These findings have implications for the role of clinicians in providing regular tangible information about referral pathways, and motivating patients to engage with available treatments., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Authors are employed in a clinical capacity in Neurology and Neuropsychiatry services by South West London and St George’s NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. NA has license/royalties for the Oxford Textbook of Neuropsychiatry. MY has provided expert witness reports in respect of patients with functional seizures., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2021
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