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Emotional Attitudes and Direct Communication in the Families of Schizophrenics

A Cross-National Replication

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Angus M. Strachan ,
Michael J. Goldstein ,
Julian P. Leff ,
Carol Burtt  and
Jeri A. Doane
Angus M. Strachan*
Affiliation:
UCLA Family Project, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA
Michael J. Goldstein
Affiliation:
UCLA Family Project, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA
Julian P. Leff
Affiliation:
MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Friern Hospital, London
Carol Burtt
Affiliation:
MRC Social Psychiatry Unit, Friern Hospital, London
Jeri A. Doane
Affiliation:
Yale Psychiatric Institute, Yale University
*
Correspondence
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Abstract

To examine how the measure of expressed emotion relates to family life, 30 relatives of schizophrenic patients were assessed for EE and then observed in ten-minute discussions with the patients. It was found that high-EE relatives express more negative emotional statements than low-EE relatives when face-to-face with the patient; they also talk more rapidly, and this speech rate is correlated with the patient speech rate. Whereas low-EE relatives expressed few criticisms or intrusive statements, high-EE over-involved relatives were more intrusive, and high-EE critical relatives were more critical as well as more intrusive in direct interaction. These findings emphasise the importance of understanding divergent EE sub-styles and the complementary behaviour of patients. The findings of an earlier Los Angeles study were replicated.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 149 , Issue 3 , September 1986 , pp. 279 - 287
Copyright
Copyright © 1986 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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