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UNDERSTANDING MARIJUANA USE AS A TREATMENT OPTION FOR PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY: USE, ATTITUDES, AND QUALITY OF LIFE
Title
UNDERSTANDING MARIJUANA USE AS A TREATMENT OPTION FOR PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY: USE, ATTITUDES, AND QUALITY OF LIFE
Creator
Johnson, Kristina
Date
2021
Description
Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder worldwide with a heterogeneous range of negative symptoms. Current treatments for epilepsy...
Show moreEpilepsy is the most common neurological disorder worldwide with a heterogeneous range of negative symptoms. Current treatments for epilepsy have side effects that can negatively impact the quality of a person’s life. Alternative treatments are being explored, including marijuana. This study aimed to understand marijuana use in adults with epilepsy across U.S. states. Rates of use, preferred method of use, and reasons to use and not use marijuana were examined. Additionally, levels of comfort discussing marijuana compared to other treatment options and with different types of providers were explored. Lastly, this was one of the first studies to examine the relationship between quality of life (QOL) and marijuana use for people with epilepsy. Participants included 128 individuals with epilepsy from 26 states, with non-legal states having significantly fewer people who reported using marijuana. Smoking was reported as the primary method of use, knowing someone else that uses as their primary reason for using, and health concerns as the primary reason not to use. There was no difference in level of comfort discussing marijuana compared to other treatments, and participants reported feeling most comfortable discussing marijuana with neurologists compared to other providers. Finally, total QOLIE-31 and the social functioning subscale were significantly lower among marijuana users; however, this difference did not remain when anxiety was entered as a covariate. In fact, the relationship between anxiety and QOL was significant, with anxiety accounting for η2 = .12 to η2 = .57 of the variance in QOLIE-31 subscale scores, controlling for marijuana use. Findings from this study further the understanding of marijuana use by people with epilepsy in the United States.
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Self-Stigma & Vicarious Stigma Experienced by Parents of Children with Mental Health Challenges
Title
Self-Stigma & Vicarious Stigma Experienced by Parents of Children with Mental Health Challenges
Creator
Serchuk, Marisa Dyan
Date
2019
Description
Research has been limited regarding the stigma experienced by parents of children with mental health challenges. It is commonly understood...
Show moreResearch has been limited regarding the stigma experienced by parents of children with mental health challenges. It is commonly understood that stigma effects people with lived-experience (e.g., a child with mental health challenges), however, stigma has been noted to have a wide scope, which extends to family members as well. Parents of children with mental health challenges have been found to endorse aspects of self-stigma, specifically regarding public stereotypes of blame and feelings of incompetence. Vicarious stigma is a fairly new area of research, which describes the sad and/or angry response a parent may experience when witnessing their child being stigmatized. The purpose of this study is to examine emotional and behavioral outcomes related to specific types of stigma experienced by parents of children with mental health challenges. Archival data from a larger study of adult participants (N=50), who identified as having a child (age 3-10 years old) with mental health challenges, completed measures examining self-stigma, vicarious stigma, stress, depression, quality of life, disclosure, secrecy coping, and help-seeking. A novel measurement for vicarious stigma was introduced and examined in this study. Results found higher levels of self-stigma and dimensions of vicarious stigma were associated with higher levels of depression as well as diminished quality of life. Higher levels of self-stigma were also associated with lower perceived benefits of disclosing and greater levels of secrecy coping. These findings highlight the importance of further examining the role of stigma for parents of children with mental health challenges.
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