title: Predicting expressed emotion: a study with families of obsessive-compulsive and agoraphobic outpatients.
abstract: The authors used structural equation modeling to examine expressed emotion (EE) in relatives of outpatients with panic disorder with agoraphobia (n = 42) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (n = 60). EE was examined as a function of patients' illness and personality and as a function of characteristics of relatives themselves. EE was operationalized in terms of hostility on the Camberwell Family Interview (C. E. Vaughn & J. P. Leff, 1976) and patients' ratings of their relatives' criticism (perceived criticism). Key findings include the identification of a characteristic of the relative (self-reported angry thoughts, feelings, and behaviors) that is directly linked to both hostility toward the patient and to perceived criticism, as well as a direct path between relatives' low rates of observed problem solving and their hostility toward the patient. Patient Pathology predicted perceived criticism but not observer-rated hostility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3270, USA. chambles@email.unc.edu
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Chambless
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Aiken
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steketee
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hooley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies