Perceived achievement of age-specific goals in adolescents with epilepsy who attend regular school: a comparative study

Jens P Pfeiffer; Martin Pinquart; Bernd A Neubauer

doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110558

Perceived achievement of age-specific goals in adolescents with epilepsy who attend regular school: a comparative study

Epilepsy Behav. 2025 Jun 21:172:110558. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110558. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jens P Pfeiffer¹, Martin Pinquart², Bernd A Neubauer³

Affiliations

¹ Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Nibelungenplatz 1, D-60318 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Electronic address: jens.pfeiffer@fb4.fra-uas.de.
² Department of Psychology, Philipps University, Gutenbergstrasse 18, D-35032 Marburg, Germany. Electronic address: pinquart@uni-marburg.de.
³ Department of Medicine, Justus-Liebig University, Feulgenstraße 10-12, D-35392 Marburg, Germany. Electronic address: Bernd.A.Neubauer@paediat.med.uni-giessen.de.

PMID: 40544587
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2025.110558

Abstract

Objective: Achieving age-specific goals is a central aspect of adolescent development. Adolescents with epilepsy have obstacles in their daily lives which might make it difficult for them to achieve their goals. To date, only a few studies have investigated this issue for a wide range of goals.

Methods: We surveyed 363 German adolescents with and without epilepsy using a cross-sectional design.

Results: Adolescents with epilepsy reported higher success in one developmental goal (socially responsible behaviour) and less success in social goals (belonging to a peer group and forming romantic relationships) and achieving gender role identity compared with adolescents without chronic diseases. Furthermore, perceived goal attainment did not vary by type of epilepsy. Finally, perceived attainment of goals in adolescents with epilepsy varied, in part, between those who were medication-free and those who were not.

Discussion: The Results indicate that adolescents with epilepsy need support in building social relationships with their peers. Specific treatment recommendations may be provided based on these results.

Keywords: Adolescence; Developmental goals; Developmental tasks; Epilepsy.