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Expressed emotion and early onset schizophrenia: a one year follow-up

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

John Stirling ,
Digby Tantam ,
Philip Thomas ,
David Newby ,
Linda Montague ,
Noreen Ring  and
Steven Rowe
John Stirling*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Manchester Polytechnic; Mental Health Unit, Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry; Department of Psychiatry, Manchester Royal Infirmary; Department of Psychiatry, High Royds Hospital, Ilkley; Department of Psychiatry, Bridgewater Hospital, Eccles; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of South Manchester; Mental Handicap Services, Calderstones Hospital, Blackburn
Digby Tantam
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Manchester Polytechnic; Mental Health Unit, Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry; Department of Psychiatry, Manchester Royal Infirmary; Department of Psychiatry, High Royds Hospital, Ilkley; Department of Psychiatry, Bridgewater Hospital, Eccles; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of South Manchester; Mental Handicap Services, Calderstones Hospital, Blackburn
Philip Thomas
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Manchester Polytechnic; Mental Health Unit, Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry; Department of Psychiatry, Manchester Royal Infirmary; Department of Psychiatry, High Royds Hospital, Ilkley; Department of Psychiatry, Bridgewater Hospital, Eccles; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of South Manchester; Mental Handicap Services, Calderstones Hospital, Blackburn
David Newby
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Manchester Polytechnic; Mental Health Unit, Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry; Department of Psychiatry, Manchester Royal Infirmary; Department of Psychiatry, High Royds Hospital, Ilkley; Department of Psychiatry, Bridgewater Hospital, Eccles; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of South Manchester; Mental Handicap Services, Calderstones Hospital, Blackburn
Linda Montague
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Manchester Polytechnic; Mental Health Unit, Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry; Department of Psychiatry, Manchester Royal Infirmary; Department of Psychiatry, High Royds Hospital, Ilkley; Department of Psychiatry, Bridgewater Hospital, Eccles; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of South Manchester; Mental Handicap Services, Calderstones Hospital, Blackburn
Noreen Ring
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Manchester Polytechnic; Mental Health Unit, Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry; Department of Psychiatry, Manchester Royal Infirmary; Department of Psychiatry, High Royds Hospital, Ilkley; Department of Psychiatry, Bridgewater Hospital, Eccles; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of South Manchester; Mental Handicap Services, Calderstones Hospital, Blackburn
Steven Rowe
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Manchester Polytechnic; Mental Health Unit, Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry; Department of Psychiatry, Manchester Royal Infirmary; Department of Psychiatry, High Royds Hospital, Ilkley; Department of Psychiatry, Bridgewater Hospital, Eccles; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of South Manchester; Mental Handicap Services, Calderstones Hospital, Blackburn
*
1 Address for correspondence: Dr John Stirling, Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Manchester Polytechnic, Elizabeth Gaskell Building. Hathersage Road, Manchester M13 0JA.
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Synopsis

Key relatives of 33 first or early admission psychotic patients (mainly schizophrenics) were interviewed to determine household levels of expressed emotion (EE). The patients were followed up for 12 months from index admission, during which time 13 (39%) experienced psychotic relapse. There was no association between relapse rate and household EE, but correlations between individual components of EE and pre-morbid measures suggest that level of criticism may be related to less acute onset of index episode, greater elapsed time since first signs of illness, and poor adjustment in the realm of work/study. The results are discussed in the context of continuing uncertainties about the precise nature of the relationship between EE and relapse.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 21 , Issue 3 , August 1991 , pp. 675 - 685
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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