[Expressed emotions (EE) towards schizophrenic patients among staff members of psychiatric wards and hostels: comparison and clinical implications].
Expressed emotion (EE) is an interactive criterion that describes the amount and quality of emotional communication between schizophrenic patients and their families or institutional care takers. EE is empirically related to the prognosis of the disease across cultures and therapeutic settings. This study compares results of EE assessments among psychiatric wards staff and hostels staff members. Our findings indicate that in each therapeutic milieu there is correlation between the institutional culture and the expected roles and behaviors of the patient. In the psychiatric hospital the most rejected patient is the psychotic patient presenting disturbances in thought and behavior, while the patient that is not rejected is the withdrawn non-active and not disturbing individual. In the hostel, the situation differs: the expectations from the patients are high functional levels in all fields, and therefore, the most rejected patients are those who are less functional in their initiative and occupational skills. Our findings also relate to the ability of staff members to change their attitudes towards patients in the two milieus. The findings of the comparison we performed indicate the advantages of the hostel staff's characteristics in the treatment of schizophrenia patients, and suggest specific recommendations for staff training in both milieus. The study highlights issues to be considered to ensure optimal functioning of the hostel as an appropriate setting for the treatment of schizophrenic patients.
Sheflerz
Gaby
G
Herzog Memorial Hospital, Jerusalem. msshef@mscc.huji.ac.il
Heresco-Levy
Uriel
U
D001294:Attitude to Health; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006208:Halfway Houses; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010362:Patients' Rooms; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires