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Factorial validity of the EE scales
G Parker1, L Hayward, P Johnston
1School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Psychological Medicine
|May 1, 1989
Summary
High expressed emotion (EE) in schizophrenia patients predicts poor outcomes, but its construct validity is unclear. This study found EE accuracy but no predictive power for relapse, suggesting new parental dimensions may be more relevant.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- High expressed emotion (EE) is linked to poor schizophrenia prognosis.
- The construct validity of EE measures requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the construct validity of the EE measure in schizophrenia.
- To explore alternative parental dimensions for predicting schizophrenia patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study comparing EE, Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), and interviewer ratings.
- Factor analysis of parental style measures.
- Analysis of predictive capacity for patient relapse.
Main Results:
- Support found for the accuracy of EE scale score generation.
- Principal components analysis identified 'vigilance' and 'acceptance of illness' as relevant parental dimensions.
- Neither EE scores nor derived factor scores predicted patient relapse.
Conclusions:
- While EE measures may accurately reflect parental behavior, their predictive validity for schizophrenia course remains questionable.
- New dimensions like parental vigilance and acceptance of illness warrant further study for predicting patient outcomes.