Parental expressed emotion toward children: prediction from early family functioning.
Expressed emotion (EE), an index of family member criticism and emotional overinvolvement, predicts outcome among adults and children with mental disorders. However, limited research exists on factors contributing to EE. Aims of the current study were to (a) examine EE in mothers of young children; (b) assess relationships between demographic factors and EE in a diverse sample; and (c) investigate whether family stress and functioning, including quality of marital relationship, life events, maternal stress, and family environment, predict EE. In the current study, 276 mothers completed questionnaires when their children were between 1 and 3 years of age and a measure of EE when their children were in kindergarten. Results indicated that family expressiveness was the most consistent predictor of EE. Further research seems warranted to better delineate associations between family functioning and EE.
Psychology Department, Boston University, MA 02215, USA. dingman@bu.edu
Kathryn Dingman
KD
Boger
Martha C
MC
Tompson
Margaret J
MJ
Briggs-Gowan
Lauren Escott
LE
Pavlis
Alice S
AS
Carter
D000293:Adolescent; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment