Mediating effects of depression, stigma, and self-efficacy on self-management improvement in an evidence-based epilepsy self-management program.
Epilepsy BehavMay 22, 2026 (epub)
Lesley Armah, Lisa Tan, Rachel Branning et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the mediating effects of depression, self-efficacy, and stigma on self-management improvements in 160 individuals with epilepsy participating in the SMART intervention. Results indicated that improvements in depressive symptoms significantly mediated the effect of SMART on epilepsy self-management (ACME = 0.83; p = 0.0089), accounting for 23.2% of the total effect.
Key findings
- Improvement in depressive symptoms accounted for 23.2% of the total effect on self-management improvement.
- Increases in self-efficacy accounted for 4.6% of the total effect on self-management improvement.
- Perceived stigma did not significantly mediate the association between SMART and self-management.
Why it matters
Understanding the mediating factors that enhance self-management in epilepsy can inform targeted interventions. Addressing depressive symptoms and self-efficacy may improve patient outcomes and overall management of the condition.