Expressed Emotion and Psychoeducational Intervention for Relatives of Patient with Sever Mental Disorder in Iran

Abstract

Expressed emotion had been used as a construct in understanding the interaction between patients and their carers and families. A considerable amount of data from Western cultures suggests that high expressed emotion can lead to relapse in vulnerable individuals, even when they are on medication. studies on family intervention using EE as a target have shown the effects of psychoeducational family intervention for preventing relapses.

The purpose of this study was investigate the effectiveness of psychoeducational intervention in reducing expressed emotion and improve family environment in families of patient with sever mental disorder. Using an experimental design, with pretest and posttest with control group, families of 30 patient with Bipolar disorder (BPD), schizophrenia and Schizoaffective disorder divided in two conditions: 6 session family psychoeducation plus drug treatment (intervention), and drug treatment only (control). Expressed emotion were assessed using Family Questionnaire (FQ).

Results showed that family psychoeducation program would not diminish the emotional over involvement (EOI) but it had significant influence on reduction of critical comments (CC) in family members.

Furthermore, family intervention reduced CC but it had no significant changes in EOI. it can be show that various components of expressed emotion must be seen in the cultural context and embedded in the normative data of the population before the concept can be considered in association with the pathogenesis of relapse.