The efficacy of an educational program for parents of children with epilepsy (FAMOSES): Results of a controlled multicenter evaluation study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the educational program FAMOSES (modular service package epilepsy for families) for parents of children with epilepsy.

METHOD: Parents of children with epilepsy from Germany and Austria were included in a controlled prospective multicenter study using a pre-post design. Participants of the FAMOSES program (FAMOSES group, n=148) completed a standardized questionnaire immediately before the program and six months later. The matched control group of parents not participating in the program (n=74, matching ratio 2:1) also answered the questionnaire twice, at an interval of six months. The questionnaire comprised epilepsy-specific outcome measures (e.g., knowledge, coping, fears) and disease-related variables (e.g., seizure frequency). The generalized estimation equation approach was used for statistical analysis. In addition, parents' satisfaction with the FAMOSES program was assessed six months after participation.

RESULTS: Parents of the FAMOSES group significantly improved in epilepsy-specific knowledge (group×time interaction: p<.001), coping (p<.01), epilepsy-related fears (p<.05), and in speaking about epilepsy with their child (p<.05) compared with the control group. No effects were found on disease-related variables. Nearly all of the participants rated the FAMOSES parents' program as "very good" (71%) or "good" (27%).

CONCLUSION: The efficacy of the FAMOSES parents' program was confirmed. The results indicate that imparting knowledge and the interactive approach help parents in coping with their child's epilepsy and reduce epilepsy-related fears.