Open AccessValidity of the Expressed Emotion Adjective Checklist (EEAC) in caregivers of children with mood disorders.
Author(s) -
Nicole M. Klaus,
Guillermo Pérez Algorta,
Allen Young,
Mary A. Fristad
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
couple and family psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2160-410X
pISSN - 2160-4096
DOI - 10.1037/cfp0000036
Subject(s) - psychology , expressed emotion , hostility , checklist , clinical psychology , mood , incremental validity , test validity , developmental psychology , psychometrics , cognitive psychology
Expressed Emotion (EE; criticism/hostility and emotional overinvolvement) displayed in family interactions has been associated with the presence and poorer course of multiple disorders in adults and children. As such, validating appropriate tools for measuring EE could have important implications for research and clinical practice. Child EE measures are limited though there are some established methods of assessing EE in adults. The Expressed Emotion Adjective Checklist (EEAC), a self-report measure of EE, has demonstrated validity with adults but has not been evaluated in child samples. The present study examined reliability, stability, and validity of the EEAC in measuring EE in caregivers of children with mood disorders. EEAC scores were associated with the criticism component of the Five Minute Speech Sample (FMSS), a commonly used EE measure in children. EEAC scores were also stable and predicted manic symptom severity and global impairment one year later. These data suggest the EEAC may be a useful self-report measure of EE in children.