Design, Feasibility, and Acceptability of a Neurocognitive and Psychosocial Intervention Module for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Findings from a Pilot Study

Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) is commonly associated with cognitive impairments and psychosocial difficulties that significantly affect quality of life beyond seizure burden. Individuals with DRE frequently experience difficulties in attention, memory, executive functioning, emotional regulation, stress, stigma, and social participation. Despite the high prevalence of these comorbidities, integrated rehabilitation approaches addressing both neurocognitive and psychosocial domains remain limited, particularly in resource-limited clinical settings. This article aims to develop and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a structured neurocognitive and psychosocial intervention module for individuals with DRE. A multidisciplinary intervention module integrating psychoeducation, cognitive retraining exercises, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and family counseling was developed through literature review, clinical observations, and expert feedback. The intervention was delivered in eight weekly group sessions in Hindi and English at a tertiary neurology center in India. Ten adults with DRE participated in the pilot study. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment, retention, attendance, adherence to home-based activities, and participant engagement. Acceptability was assessed through structured participant feedback regarding clarity, usefulness, relevance, and overall satisfaction with the intervention. Nine of 10 participants completed the intervention. Attendance, engagement, and adherence to home-based activities were satisfactory among participants who completed the study. Participants reported that the intervention content was understandable, relevant, and useful in daily functioning. Cognitive retraining exercises and CBT sessions were perceived as beneficial for improving coping, emotional regulation, and cognitive engagement. Family counseling sessions were positively received and were considered helpful in improving caregiver understanding and family support. One participant reported anxiety related to task performance during cognitive exercises. The findings support the feasibility and acceptability of a structured neurocognitive and psychosocial intervention module for individuals with DRE within a tertiary care clinical setting. Further randomized controlled studies are underway to evaluate the clinical efficacy and long-term applicability of the intervention.