Stirling J, Tantam D, Thomas P, Newby D, Montague L, Ring N, Rowe S
Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Manchester Metropolitan University.
Psychol Med. 1993 Aug;23(3):771-8. doi: 10.1017/s003329170002554x.
Key relatives of 30 first or early admission psychotic patients (mainly with a diagnosis of schizophrenia) were interviewed (for a second time) 18 months after participating in an initial assessment of expressed emotion (EE). The patients were followed up throughout the interim period, during which time 17 experienced a psychotic relapse. Although there continued to be a negligible association between initial EE rating (established during the index admission) and relapse, a significant association between EE rating at 18 months and psychiatric status of the patient during the follow-up period emerged. Results are discussed in the context of recent interactional theories of the relationship between household EE and psychiatric morbidity.
