title: Parents' expressed emotion and mood, rather than their physical disability are associated with adolescent adjustment: a longitudinal study of families with a parent with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the impact of the severity of parental multiple sclerosis, parents' expressed emotion and psychological well-being on offspring's psychological difficulties.
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal study including baseline and 6-month follow-up data collected from parents and children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescents (n=75), their parents with multiple sclerosis (n=56) and the partner without multiple sclerosis (n=40).
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Five Minutes Speech Sample, a standardised interview of expressed emotion towards their child. Parents with multiple sclerosis also completed the Expanded Disability Status Scale, a measure of illness severity. Adolescents completed the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, a self-report measure of psychological difficulties.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher depression scores of the parents with multiple sclerosis at baseline correlated with increased adolescents' internalising symptoms at 6-month follow-up (γdep=0.31, P=.004). Higher expressed emotion scores of parents with multiple sclerosis at baseline were associated with increased adolescent externalising symptoms at 6-month follow-up (γEE=4.35, P=.052). There was no direct effect of severity, duration or type of multiple sclerosis on adolescents' adjustment at baseline or follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emotional distress and expressed emotion in parents with multiple sclerosis, rather than the severity and type of multiple sclerosis had an impact on adolescents' psychological difficulties.
authors: Psychology Department, City University, UK angeliki.bogosian.1@city.ac.uk.
authors: Angeliki
authors: A
authors: Bogosian
authors: Psychology Department, Southampton University, UK.
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Hadwin
authors: Real-World Evidence Solutions, IMS Health, UK.
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Hankins
authors: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
authors: Rona
authors: R
authors: Moss-Morris
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adolescent children; chronic disability; emotional distress; multiple sclerosis