title: Perception of family emotional climate by family members of persons with schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a dearth of instruments to assess schizophrenia persons' Family Emotional Climate (FEC).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to explore the relation between family members' personality traits and FEC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We invited a convenience sample of 50 both gender family members who were accompanying the person with schizophrenia for out-patient department (OPD) consultation to provide data on a socio-demographic proforma and the researcher prepared 'Emotional climate assessment questionnaire - caregivers' version' (ECAQ-C) as well as the Eysenck personality questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregivers' extroversion traits (r = .427, p = .002) were positively correlated and neuroticism traits were negatively correlated (r = -.330, p = .019) with their positive perception of FEC. There was a higher perception of positive FEC (mean scores = 65.5 ± 10.5) while caregivers seemed to perceive less negative FEC (mean scores = 36.5 ± 10.2). Caregivers with education above 11th std perceived less (χ(2) = 8.6, p = .013) of negative FEC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings highlight that caregivers' personality traits seem to influence the FEC. While caregivers' perception of FEC is positive in this study, those in the higher education group seem to have a better perception of FEC indicating that education also may influence FEC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS) - An Institute of National Importance (INI), Bangalore, India sailaxmi63@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sailaxmi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS) - An Institute of National Importance (INI), Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Rajitha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pavalur
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS) - An Institute of National Importance (INI), Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Jagadisha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thirthalli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS) - An Institute of National Importance (INI), Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Mariamma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Phillip
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Expressed emotions; caregivers; family emotional climate; personality traits; schizophrenia