Title:Family Functioning, Expressed Emotion and Quality of Life in Adolescents with Early Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum and Affective Psychotic Disorders
Volume: 11
Issue: 1
Author(s): Stavroula Ropi*, Gerasimos Kolaitis, Foivos Zaravinos-Tsakos, Christos Androutsos, Vaios Dafoulis, Maria Belivanaki, Chara Tzavara, Vasiliki Rotsika and Stylianos Christogiorgos
Affiliation:
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Athens,Greece
Keywords:
Early onset schizophrenia, affective psychotic disorders, early onset bipolar disorder,
expressed emotion, family functioning, quality of life.
Abstract:
Background: Quality of family functioning and levels of parental Expressed
Emotion (criticism, hostility, or emotional overinvolvement) are prospectively
associated with the course and outcome of a range of childhood psychiatric disorders.
Aims: This study examined family functioning, expressed emotion and quality of
life, in a clinical sample of 40 adolescents presenting with schizophrenia spectrum
or affective psychotic disorders.
Methods: Expressed Emotion was measured using the Family Questionnaire,
family functioning using the Family Assessment Device and Quality of life using
the KIDSCREEN 27.
Results: Parents scored high on both parts of the Family Questionnaire, the Critical
Comments and Emotional Over-involvement. Higher Expressed Emotion was
associated with more emotional difficulties of both parents, especially depressive
features. Economic difficulties of the family were found to be negatively associated
with the adolescents’ psychological wellbeing.
Conclusions: Overall, the study points out the need for appropriate family
interventions, which will assist the caregivers in developing communication and
problem-solving strategies and will contribute to the reduction of high levels of hostile
or critical expressed emotion and emotional over-involvement within the family.