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Expressed emotion and psychiatric relapse: a meta-analysis
1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass 02138, USA.
Archives of General Psychiatry
|June 20, 1998
Summary
Expressed emotion (EE) predicts relapse in schizophrenia, especially chronic cases. This meta-analysis also found EE predicts mood and eating disorders, highlighting its broad importance in preventing psychopathology relapse.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Mental Health
Background:
- Expressed emotion (EE) is a family environment measure predicting schizophrenia relapse.
- Recent studies question the reliability of the EE-relapse relationship.
- This meta-analysis re-evaluates the predictive validity of EE.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a meta-analysis of EE and outcome studies in schizophrenia.
- To examine the predictive validity of EE for mood and eating disorders.
Main Methods:
- An extensive literature search identified 27 studies.
- Meta-analytic procedures were used to combine findings and estimate effect sizes.
- EE's predictive validity for mood and eating disorders was also analyzed.
Main Results:
- EE is a significant and robust predictor of schizophrenia relapse.
- The EE-relapse relationship is strongest in chronic schizophrenia.
- EE effect sizes were significantly higher for mood and eating disorders than for schizophrenia.
Conclusions:
- EE is crucial for understanding and preventing relapse across various psychopathological conditions.
- Findings underscore the broad clinical relevance of the EE construct.
- This research supports EE as a key factor in mental health outcomes.