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Differential predictors of critical comments and emotional over-involvement in first-episode psychosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 December 2008

M. Álvarez-Jiménez*
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Youth Health Research Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ‘Marques de Valdecilla’ Public Foundation–Research Institute (FMV-IFIMAV), Santander, Spain
J. F. Gleeson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, The University of Melbourne and Northwestern Mental Health Program, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
S. M. Cotton
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Youth Health Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
D. Wade
Affiliation:
Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
K. Crisp
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Youth Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
M. B. H. Yap
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Youth Health Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
P. D. McGorry
Affiliation:
ORYGEN Youth Health Research Centre and Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr M. Álvarez-Jiménez, ORYGEN Youth Health Research Centre, 35 Poplar Road, Parkville3054, Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. (Email: malvarez@unimelb.edu.au)

Abstract

Background

Little research has focused on delineating the specific predictors of emotional over-involvement (EOI) and critical comments (CC) in the early course of psychosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differential relationships of EOI and CC with relevant predictors in relatives of first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients.

Method

Baseline patient-related factors including psychotic symptoms, depression and duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and carer attributes comprising CC, EOI, burden of care and carers' stress and depression were assessed in a cohort of 63 remitted FEP patients and their relatives. Carers were reassessed at 7 months follow-up.

Results

Baseline analysis showed that EOI was more strongly correlated with family stress compared with CC, whereas CC yielded a stronger association with DUP than EOI. Carers' CC at follow-up was not significantly predicted by either baseline family stress, burden of care or patient-related variables. Conversely, baseline EOI predicted both family stress and burden of care at 7 months follow-up. Finally, family burden of care at follow-up was a function of baseline EOI and patients' depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

This study provides preliminary support to the postulate that EOI and CC may be influenced by separate factors early in the course of psychosis and warrant future research and therapeutic interventions as separate constructs. Implications for family interventions in the early phase of psychosis and the prevention of CC and EOI are discussed.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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