Social context as a risk factor for psychopathology in children with epilepsy

•Social contextual factors place children with epilepsy at risk for psychopathology.•Proximal processes contribute to psychopathology in children with epilepsy.•Distal social structures indirectly influence development of children with epilepsy.•Norms and ideologies contribute to psychopathology in children with epilepsy.•Changes to healthcare may reduce risk of psychopathology in childhood epilepsy. Epilepsy is the number one neurological disorder in children in western society. Childhood epilepsy is highly comorbid with psychopathology. Although neurological and biological factors may partially explain the increased risk of psychopathology in children with epilepsy, social contextual factors are also important to understanding development of psychopathology in children with epilepsy. The current paper examines the development of children with epilepsy utilizing Bronfenbrenner's micro-, meso-, exo-, and macrosystem social contexts. Negative interpersonal interactions within the microsystems and the ripple effect of social context at the other levels may contribute to increased risk for psychopathology.