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Predictive power and construct validity of the Level of Expressed Emotion (LEE) scale

Depressed out-patients and couples from the general community

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

Coby Gerlsma*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
William W. Hale Iii
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Psychiatry, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
*
Coby Gerlsma, Department of Clinical Psychology, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands

Abstract

Background

The Level of Expressed Emotion scale (LEE) is a questionnaire designed to measure the perception of expressed emotion, an important predictor of the course of several psychiatric disorders.

Method

In this study, the scales predictive and construct validity were examined in a sample of 26 clinically depressed out-patients and their partners, and in a sample of 40 couples from the general community

Results

In the sample of depressed out-patients, the LEE was predictive of depression improvement at six-month follow-up. With regard to the construct validity, results in both samples showed quite strong relationships between the LEE and depressive symptomatology, relational dissatisfaction, and coping styles.

Conclusions

The LEE may be a useful tool in the study of interpersonal processes and depression, both in clinical and research settings.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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