Social explanation: Expressed emotion Flashcards
Expressed emotion
Expressed emotion is the amount of emotion displayed within the family setting by family members or carers. The theory proposes that a high level of EE within the home of the schizophrenic can
1. Worsen the symptoms of schizophrenia
2. Increase the likelihood of relapse of readmission into hospital for the patient
What are the three dimensions of Expressed emotion
Hostility, Emotional over-involvement and critical comments.
Hostility
A negative attitude directed at the schz patient because the family feels the disorder is controllable and that the patient is choosing not to get better, Problems in the family are often blamed on the patients/ The family believes that the cause of many of the families problems is the patients schz.
Emotional over-involvement
When the family blames themselves for the schz. This. is commonly found in females. The family member shows a lot of concern for the patient and the schz. This is the oppoostive of a hostile attitude, but still has negative effects as it makes the patient feel guilty.
Critical comments
A combination of hostile and emotional over-involvement. It shows openness that the School is not entirely within the patients control but there is still negative criticism. Critical parents often influence sibling to act this way also.
Brown
Investigated the rates of 156 men with schizophrenia and found that 58% of recovered schizophrenic who were discharged from hospital to homes with high EE relapsed and only 10% returning to low ee homes did the same.
Interviews conducted later with the wives and parents of individuals with schizophrenia suggested a link between the amount of expressed emotion and likelihood of relapse.
Brown and hostility
Hostility was generally identified in the interviews with high ee caregivers. The hostility was thought to be the result of unmanageable anger and irritation.
Brown and EOI
EE caregivers displayed higher levels of EOI which manifested itself in high levels of both happiness and sadness excessive self sacrifices and extreme over protective behaviour of the caregiver toward the individual with schizophrenia.
Brown and low ee
Brown found that warmth (measured by vocal qualities, smiling and empathy expressed when the caregiver was talking about the individual) was generally evident in low ee caregivers. They also found a positive regard (number of reinforcing statements which the caregiver expresses support and appreciation of the individual with schizophrenia) was lacking in in high ee caregivers.
Kavanagh
Kavanagh who found that schizophrenics in families with high ee were four times more likely to relapse compared to those in low EE homes. Suggests a strong link between being a family which displays a high level of EE and sch, due to them having a higher relapse rate
Vaughn and Leff
Found that 53% of those individuals with schizophrenia who had high EE relative, relapsed within 9 months, whereas 12% of those with low EE did. Suggests a strong link between the expressed emotion in households as more patients relapsed when living in high ee environments compare to those with low ee.
Mcreadie and Phillips.
Failed to find the differences in relapse rates for individuals with schizophrenia in high ee and low ee homes both as 6 and 12 months.
Genes
Shared family environments which display ee will also have similar genes. More scientific and empirical evidence to suggest that biology plays a bigger role in the development is schz. Also questions if the individual suffering from schz are aware of the levels of EE in the household?
Nature nurture debate
This leads to the nature nurture debate in psychology and the argument that no explanation should ignore the interaction of these tow elements, Perhaps a diathesis stress approach is more appropriate as it suggests that while genes may predispose someone to schz, it is environmental factors like high ee households that trigger it.
Application
Can be applicator to family intervention treatment. Clinical psychologists are able to offer such family interventions as a way of reducing relapses in schizophrenic patients.
