Introduction:

Functional dissociative seizures (FDS) are episodes that resemble epileptic seizures, but are caused by different biopsychosocial factors. The way in which these patients cope with the challenges of their condition has been considered an important maintaining factor. The aim of this systematic review is to identify the coping strategies used by adult patients with FDS, and the measures used to assess them.

Methods:

The review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. A search was conducted in Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Scielo, Science Direct and Lilacs databases.

Results:

Eleven articles met the inclusion criteria and were integrated into a narrative synthesis. FDS patients use more avoidance and emotion-focused strategies than the general population. Their excessive use has been related to greater psychopathology, poorer quality of life and greater distress in the face of stress. On the other hand, the diversity of coping assessment instruments reflects the heterogeneity of the field.

Conclusions:

More research is needed to understand the coping strategies of FDS patients and to offer more personalized and effective treatment.

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