title: Effects of family environment on negative symptoms and quality of life of psychotic patients.
abstract: This study tested the hypothesis that negative symptoms and quality of life for patients with functional psychoses are associated with family environment. Fifty-seven first-admission patients with functional psychoses were assessed at hospital admission for severity of psychopathology and premorbid adjustment. Relatives residing with patients rated the family environment at admission and one month after discharge on the Family Environment Scale. Patients made the same ratings after discharge. Six months later, patients were reassessed on severity of psychopathology, negative symptoms, and quality of life. Multiple regression analyses showed that higher levels of positive emotional expressiveness in the family predicted milder and fewer negative symptoms and better quality of life at follow-up. The prediction was statistically independent of the initial severity of psychopathology or premorbid adjustment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Queensland, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston, Australia.
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Halford
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Varghese
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000786:Anger; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003142:Communication; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011340:Problem Solving; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012931:Social Environment