Structural Modeling of Relationship Between Disease Stigma and Social Anxiety by Considering the Mediating Role of Family Function in Patients With Epilepsy

Background and Objective: Epilepsy is one of the most common and chronic neurological diseases that can cause many psychological problems for people with this disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between disease stigma and social anxiety considering the mediating role of family function in patients with epilepsy. Methods: The study design was descriptive-correlation and the study population include all epileptic patients were referred to clinics and hospitals of Isfahan in 2018. 117 patients with epilepsy- based on specialist physician's diagnosis- selected by convenient sampling which evaluated by the questionnaires of Stigma Scale for, Social Phobia Inventory and Family Function Assessment. The data were analyzed by using Structural Modeling. Findings: The results confirmed the mediation role of the components of problem solving, roles, affective responsiveness and behavioral control among the epileptic patients (p<0/05), however the mediating role of the components of communication, affective involvement and general family functioning not significant in the relationship between disease stigma and social anxiety in patients with epilepsy (p>0/05). But in general, the mediating role of family functioning variable was not approved (p>0/05). Conclusion: According to results, the disease stigma increase social anxiety in patients with epilepsy, but family function could be mediate this effect. >.