Table 2. Focus group themes and specific examples.

Theme	Adolescent	Parent
Memory	Hard to remember things Forgetting assignments “Brain fog” Remembering chores at home (e.g., feeding pets, turning lights off) Difficulty remembering medicine Trouble remembering assignments Trouble remembering passwords to access schoolwork	Hard to remember homework Differential attention to high versus low priority interests Forgetting conversations Does not remember family activities Difficulty remembering medicine
Attention	Lack of attention and focus (e.g., distractions) Mind jumping from one thing to another in rapid fire until you forget what you are doing	Not sure if it is lack of attention or poor memory Distracted often Difficulty focusing and getting back on-task
Organization	Losing important things Managing time is hard, especially school-related Fear of forgetting class materials caused the need to carry all materials in backpacks Difficulties prioritizing multiple tasks/assignments	Disorganized with schedule Not turning in assignments Not staying organized Difficulty remembering homework without memory aid (e.g., planner) Difficulty with time management Need for organizational strategies
Monitoring	Lack of tracking on assignment progress Unrealistic expectations of how long it takes to complete tasks Finishing more complex tasks is difficult Lack of review of work product	“She thinks she knows what her role is….and it's not exactly what she thought it was gonna be…” Unrealistic expectations of how long it takes to complete tasks Review of work assignments is lacking No one is responsible for knowing if medicine is taken
Initiation	Do not start projects until the last minute Lack of materials to start projects “I just procrastinate” Lack of motivation with parental requests and school tasks “Starting anything is hard”	“Doesn't take control of schedule” Waiting until the last minute to do things Getting started on tasks is difficult Procrastination Difficulty starting day
Impulsivity	Rushing through assignments (e.g., lunch/ homeroom the day it is due) “Sometimes what you want to say isn't the best thing at the right time….” Regretting impulsive actions Speaking without thinking with friends and teachers	Interrupt conversations Lacks awareness of social cues for engagement with others
Emotion	“Emotional overload” Fighting with siblings Becoming mad and acting on it (e.g., yelling, punching) Low frustration tolerance Feeling frustrated with others Difficulty reading other's emotions	Overly sensitive to criticism Mood dysregulation (e.g., from happy to sad quickly) “It's like a switch” Low frustration tolerance Worries
Sleep	Lack of sleep is a seizure trigger Need for consistent sleep	Lack of sleep is a seizure trigger
Lack of awareness in school	Teachers don't understand how epilepsy affects memory-“blame you”	Teachers and schools unsure if problems are epilepsy-related or laziness/ADHD
Stress		Feeling overwhelmed with school and tests Easily upset and stressed by school demands “Just too much stress” in the context of school needs