ABSTRACT
Clinical psychologists work in a variety of settings where they may encounter individuals with epilepsy (e.g. child guidance clinics, child development clinics, general practice, services for older people and learning disabilities) as well as in child or adult neurology and neurosurgery services. Traditionally, in a clinical setting, psychologists have been asked to carry out assessments of neuropsychological functioning and to repeat assessments over time to evaluate cognitive decline. However, clinical psychologists are increasingly being asked to become involved in the treatment of individuals with epilepsy, in particular those who are thought to display seizures for which there are identifiable psychological factors. They are also becoming involved in the treatment of people with non-epileptic seizures. In addition, in the last twenty years, psychologists have been undertaking epilepsy-related research from an increasingly wide range of perspectives. These have involved the assessment of anti-epileptic drug effects on behaviour and cognition, investigations into the psychosocial sequelae of epilepsy, examinations of the relationship between environment and seizure occurrence, non-medical (i.e. psychological) approaches to seizure management, the assessment of cognitive and psychosocial functioning pre-and post-surgery for epilepsy, and the factors that affect the quality of life of those with epilepsy.
