Expressed emotion and schizophrenia in Italy. A study of an urban population.
Forty-two schizophrenic patients and their close relatives took part in an Italian replication study of expressed emotion (EE). The patients were selected from the psychiatric ward of a general hospital in Milan and were subsequently followed up for nine months. All patients attended a community service clinic as out-patients, and all but one were prescribed neuroleptics for the duration of the study. Relatives were assigned to the high-EE group if they scored 4 or 5 on the emotional overinvolvement (EOI) scale, or showed hostility, or made six or more critical comments. On this basis, 18 (42%) families were rated as low EE and 24 (57%) as high EE. At follow-up, the admission rate for the 9-month period was significantly higher for the high-EE group (P less than 0.05). Furthermore, significantly fewer patients were readmitted from families showing high warmth (P less than 0.05). The presence of high warmth appeared to be associated with a lower admission rate, even in high-EE families.
Institute of Psychiatry, University of Milan, Italy.
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Bertrando
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Beltz
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Bressi
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Clerici
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Farma
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Invernizzi
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Cazzullo
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004644:Emotions; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D014505:Urban Population
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents