The influence of knowledge and Empathy on stigma in epilepsy

Epilepsy is one the most common neurological disorder in the world, however despite this stigma towards epilepsy is still common to this day. T therefore the current study has aimed to examine how knowledge and empathy impacts on individual’s level of stigma. The current sample contained (n=240) participants, with (n=115) individuals who have a medical diagnosis of epilepsy whilst (n=125) participants who do not. Individual’s empathy levels were measured through the empathy quotient (EQ), whilst knowledge of epilepsy was measured through the epilepsy knowledge profile (EKP), and the level of stigma through the stigma of epilepsy scale (SSE). The results demonstrate that there is no significant correlation between knowledge of epilepsy and the level of stigma in individuals who have epilepsy or who those do not. As well as finding there is no relationship between a certain level of knowledge and internalised stigma amongst individuals with epilepsy. Along with illustrating there is no significant relationship between empathy and stigma towards epilepsy. However individuals with epilepsy displayed a higher level of knowledge than does that do not have epilepsy. The results of this study illustrate that stigma is not affected by knowledge or empathy, therefore more research is needed in determining the exact sources that harvest these stigmatising attitudes would be valuable in preventing and dismantling stigma towards epilepsy