Theory of Mind and social competence in children and adolescents with genetic generalised epilepsy (GGE): Relationships to epilepsy severity and anti-epileptic drugs

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to examine Theory of Mind (ToM) and social competence in children and adolescents with genetic generalised epilepsy (GGE), and explore how they relate to neurocognitive and epilepsy variables. Methods: Twenty-two children and adolescents with GGE (8–16 years old) and 22 typically developing controls completed two behavioural tasks (faux-pas, strange stories) assessing cognitive and affective ToM, and a battery of standardised neuropsychological tests. Parents completed questionnaires assessing ToM and social competence. Neurologists completed the Global Assessment Severity of Epilepsy (GASE) scale to measure of epilepsy severity. Results: Children and adolescents wi..