Decrease of Relatives' High Levels of Expressed Emotion in Schizophrenic Disorders

Abstract

The family emotional atmosphere, Expressed Emotion, was assessed with the Swedish version of the Camberwell Family Interview, before and after a six-session multifamily education programme. The intervention provided illness-related knowledge and emotional support to relatives of patients with schizophrenic disorders. Relatives' high level of EE decreased significantly. Mainly responsible for the decrease was a reduction in the number of critical remarks, while emotional overinvolvement decreased non-significantly. The findings indicate that high levels of Expressed Emotion in relatives of patients suffering from long-standing schizophrenic disorders may decrease over a relatively short span of time.