Expressed emotion of schizophrenic families and the patients' relapse

Abstract

Conducted a replication study of schizophrenia relapse (12 mo follow-up) and expressed emotion (EE) of patients' families. A sample of 53 chronic schizophrenia families was evaluated with the Camberwell Family Interview. Patients were in psychiatric ambulatory treatment with neuroleptic drugs. After interview analysis, results show that 66% of families had high EE and 34% low EE scores. Hostility was expressed in 15% of relatives and overinvolvement in 23%. 37 patients' relatives were male and 41 female. Female relatives showed more emotional overinvolvement (37%) than male relatives (8%). Follow-up relapse rate was 57% for patients living in high EE families and 17% for patients in low EE families. Comparing data from different studies in different countries, this study, as well as a Spanish one, received less criticism than English studies. In spite of this EE cultural dimension, results agree with the general conclusion that the patient relapse rate is greater in those who live in high than low EE families.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17575/rpsicol.v14i1.524