Epileptic Versus Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures: The Different Roles of Experiential Avoidance, Cognitive Fusion, and Mindfulness

The etiology of psychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES) has not been completely understood.This study aimed to investigate the role of experiential avoidance (EA), cognitive fusion (CF), and mindfulness in PNES etiology.The study included 45 patients with epilepsy, 45 patients with PNES, and a control group comprising 60 healthy participants.Independent samples' t-test, chi-squared test, bivariate Pearson correlation analyses, and hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed.Results revealed that EA levels were higher in the PNES group than in the epilepsy group, whereas the mindfulness level was lower.Although the CF scores were higher in the PNES group, no statistically significant difference was observed compared with the epilepsy group.Thus, PNES diagnosis can predict the levels of EA and mindfulness.The findings of this study indicated that high EA and low mindfulness levels play a prominent role in the psychopathological appearance of patients with PNES, suggesting that psychotherapy methods aimed at these parameters will be beneficial.