Objective: The aim of this study was to test a theoretical explanatory model of the relationship between depression symptom scores and seizure frequency in people with epilepsy.
Methods: A community-based sample of adults with active epilepsy provided information on depression symptom scores and seizure frequency at two time points, 1 year apart.
Results: One thousand two hundred ten patients completed the initial questionnaire, and 976 of these individuals (80.7%) completed the final questionnaire. Depression scores and seizure frequency were significant predictors of each other, both within (beta = .07, P < .05 and beta = .09, P < .05) and across time (beta = .03, P < .01 and beta = .07, P < .05).
Conclusion: The relationship between depression symptom scores and seizure frequency in those with epilepsy is bidirectional.