Preliminary results of a brief group psychoeducational intervention for patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures of Buenos Aires, Argentina

SARUDIANSKY, MECEDES; LANZILLOTTI, ALEJANDRA INÉS; ARECO PICO, MARÍA MARTA; VALDEZ PAOLASINI, GABRIELA; TENREYRO, CRISTINA; D'ALESSIO, LUCIANA; KOCHEN, SILVIA; SCÉVOLA, LAURA; KORMAN, GUIDO PABLO

CABA

Congreso; 50th Annual International Meeting of Society for Psychotherapy Research; 2019

Society for Psychotherapy Research

Ten patients (9 women) with PNES participated in the intervention. All adult (age > 18 years) patients included in this study underwent video-EEG evaluations to confirm their PNES diagnosis. All subjects provided consent for participation. The study was approved by the hospital review board. Baseline demographic and clinical data were collected during the inpatient evaluation phase. Patients then completed the following measures on day one of the psychoeducational intervention (before attending the first session) and completed the same measures on the final day of the intervention (after completing the third session).Data were processed with SPSS statistical package (v. 22). Descriptive analysis of each of the variables was carried out. U Mann-Whitney test was used.Psychoeducation proved to be a potentially useful intervention to reduce the frequency of seizure, anxious and depressive symptoms, and improve quality of life.The group modality encourages patients to identify themselves with other patients with the same condition; which could help to a better understanding and acceptance of the PNES diagnosis. Further research is necessary in order to develop culturally validated interventions with empirical support for these patients in Argentina.