The impact of epilepsy on suicidal behavior: the mediating roles of depression, loneliness, and social isolation.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the impact of epilepsy on suicidal behavior and the mediating roles of depression, stigma, loneliness, and social isolation in this relationship. METHOD: This descriptive and cross-sectional study included 80 epilepsy patients followed at a university hospital neurology clinic. Data were collected using the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire, Personal Impact of Epilepsy Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and the Stigma Scale, Loneliness Scale, and Social Isolation Scale. Direct and indirect effects were tested using Path Analysis (Maximum Likelihood method) via AMOS Version 24, with age and perceived social support as control variables. RESULTS: Path analysis indicated that the perceived effect of epilepsy was a significant direct predictor of depression (β = 0.337), social isolation (β = 0.311), and loneliness (β = 0.136). Depression significantly predicted loneliness, social isolation, and suicidal behavior. Loneliness was the strongest direct predictor of suicidal behavior (β = 0.556), followed by social isolation (β = 0.279). The model explained 48.6% of the variance in suicidal behavior. Stigma did not have a significant direct effect on suicidal behavior (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The impact of epilepsy on suicidal behavior was associated with indirect pathways through depression, loneliness, and social isolation. Loneliness and social isolation were the main direct predictors, and the model explained a substantial proportion of the variance in suicidal behavior.