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Interactions in high- and low-EE families.
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
|March 1, 1989
Summary
Expressed Emotion (EE) levels in parents of schizophrenic patients correlate with relationship dynamics. High EE indicates a more negative, conflict-prone, and rigid patient-relative interaction style.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Expressed Emotion (EE) is a measure of the emotional atmosphere in a family.
- Its relationship to the specific interaction patterns between relatives and patients requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if EE reflects general emotional engagement or specific relationship qualities.
- To explore the correlation between EE levels and interpersonal dynamics in parents of schizophrenic patients.
Main Methods:
- 17 parents of schizophrenic patients were assessed using the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI) to determine EE levels (high or low).
- Interactions between parents and patients were analyzed using the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB) instrument.
- Data from CFI and SASB were compared to identify correlations.
Main Results:
- EE measures in parents showed strong correlations with specific relationship features.
- High EE relationships were characterized by a more negative emotional climate, conflict proneness, and rigid interaction patterns.
- Significant correlations were found between SASB variables and EE subscores (criticism, emotional overinvolvement).
Conclusions:
- EE measures of relatives correspond with specific qualities of the patient-relative relationship.
- These findings support the validity of the EE concept in understanding family dynamics in schizophrenia.
- EE assessment can provide insights into the nature of the patient-relative interaction.