title: Development and validation of an observational coding system for emotional overinvolvement.
abstract: The present study investigated the reliability and construct validity of a behavioral observation coding system of emotional overinvolvement (EOI), an index of intrusive, excessively self-sacrificing, or exaggeratedly emotional behavior displayed by the relative of a psychiatric patient. Separate behavioral ratings of relatives' intrusiveness, excessive self-sacrifice, and exaggerated emotional response were generated from 10-min problem-solving interactions between adult outpatients with obsessive-compulsive disorder or panic disorder with agoraphobia and their relatives. The interrater reliability for the 3 scales was adequate to excellent, and the scales appeared to tap related, but distinct, aspects of the EOI construct. Results from a multitrait-multimethod matrix and a confirmatory factor analysis supported the measure's convergent validity but were equivocal with respect to its discriminant validity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: Steffany J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Fredman
authors.forename: Dianne L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Chambless
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steketee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019370:Observation / Q000379:methods*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D011340:Problem Solving; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D012647:Self-Assessment