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An Application of Expressed Emotion to the Study of PTSD: Preliminary Findings
Author(s) -
Tarrier Nicholas
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.315
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1099-0879
pISSN - 1063-3995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-0879(199609)3:3<220::aid-cpp104>3.0.co;2-9
Subject(s) - psychopathology , psychology , expressed emotion , clinical psychology , respondent , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , population , psychiatry , medicine , environmental health , political science , law
The important influences of the social environment and social support on the course of PTSD are noted. It is argued that the measure of Expressed Emotion (EE), which has been used successfully to predict outcome in a number of psychiatric and psychological disorders most notably schizophrenia, might productively be used to predict outcome in PTSD patients. The aims of this paper are to report on the feasibility of modifying and using the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI), from which EE is rated, with the significant others of PTSD patients, to report on the range and nature of the responses of the respondents, and to investigate whether the EE status of the respondent could be explained as a response to characteristics of the patient such as severity of the disorder. The results from 31 respondents, in this preliminary study, suggest that the modified CFI was appropriate with this population, that EE could be measured with acceptable reliability and that a satisfactory range of responses was obtained. Of respondents, 52% were rated as high EE. But EE was not significantly related to type of trauma, relationship with the patient or severity of psychopathology. Predictions as to the possible associations between EE and outcomes are outlined and the implications of these are discussed.