Anxiety levels and associated sociodemographic factors in mothers of children with first febrile seizures: A case-control study

Acta Psychol (Amst). 2026 Mar 6;264:106611. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106611. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The prognosis of febrile seizures (FS) is generally favorable; however, a child’s first febrile seizure can be distressing for parents. The aim of this study was to assess the anxiety levels of mothers whose children present to the pediatric emergency department with FS for the first time and to examine the relationship between these anxiety levels and the sociodemographic characteristics of the mothers.

METHODS: This case-control study included mothers presenting for the first time to the pediatric emergency department of our hospital with children aged 6 months to 6 years, either for simple FS or for fever without seizures. Maternal anxiety levels were assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) approximately 12 h after the initial seizure. Sociodemographic characteristics were also collected, and the relationship between these characteristics and anxiety levels was analyzed.

RESULTS: A total of 103 participants (52 in the FS group, 51 controls) were included. Higher maternal education and family income were associated with lower STAI-S and STAI-T scores. The FS group had significantly higher mean STAI-S (p < 0.001) and STAI-T (p = 0.007) scores, by 14.6 and 3.6 points, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that income was a significant confounder for both STAI-T and STAI-S.

CONCLUSION: Mothers of children with FS report higher levels of anxiety. Sociodemographic factors, such as income and maternal education level, play a significant role in maternal anxiety levels. Targeted educational and support programs addressing income inequalities in healthcare could help reduce maternal anxiety and improve the management of FS.

PMID:41795552 | DOI:10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106611