Psychological Explanations: Fam Dysfunctions 3

Question 1

Expressed emotion

Answer 1

Fam communication style in which members of fam of a psychiatric patient talk about patient in a critical manner or way that indicates emotional over-involvement.

Question 2

Elements of ee

Answer 2

Verbal critism of patient (accompanied by violence)
Hostility towards patient (anger + rejection)
Emotional over-involvement in life of patient (including needless self-sacrifice)

Question 3

What can a negative emotional climate lead to?

Answer 3

Arouses patient + leads to stress beyond patients already impaired coping mechanisms, thus triggering a schizophrenic ep

Question 4

Vaughn + leff

Answer 4

Vaughn + left found a high ee environment leads to relapse
Compared relapse rates for people with schiz to high expressed emotions comp to low ee households + those on antipsychotic drugs vs those on placebo

Question 5

Refute evidence for ee

Answer 5

Altorfer et al - found 1/4 of the patients they studies showed no physiological responses to stressful comments from their relatives
But support because 3/4 did so they may individual differences

Question 6

Support evidence ee

Answer 6

Kuipers et al
Found high relapse rates (increase in symptoms)
A patient returning to a fam with high ee is 4 times more likely to relapse than patient who’s fam is low ee

Question 7

Refute of ee

Answer 7

Lebell et al ]claims how patients assess beh of relatives is important
In cases where high ee behaviours r not perceived as being negative/stressful, patients can do well regardless of how fam environment is objectively rated
Not environment that matters but how individ understands relatives