Evaluation of the expressed emotion levels in primary caregivers of schizophrenia patients

The Statement of the Problem: Schizophrenia is a disease, that affects not only the patient but also the caregivers and those individuals living together, as well. The aim of this study was to investigate the expressed emotion of the individuals who are the primary caregivers of schizophrenia patients and to identify possible relationships with the patients' disease characteristics. Method: In this study, the expressed emotion of the primary caregivers of patiens with schizophrenia were examined. The sample consisted of patients with schizophrenia, who were hospitalized and followed-up at Bakırköy Psychiatry and Neurological Diseases Training and Research Hospital, and their primary caregivers, with 53 individuals in both groups. All participants were applied a Patient or Caregiver Data Form, the Expressed Emotion Scale (EE), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Scale (BAI). Results: The patient group consisted of 28 females and 25 males, with a mean age of 40,98±12,82 years and the caregiver group consisted of 35 females and 18 males, with a mean age of 49,34±15,15 years. In the caregiver group, 23 individuals were the parents of the patient. Compared to others, the parent caregivers had significantly higher scores on hostility/criticism subscale of EE scale. Among the caregivers, females, parents, and those without a job had significantly higher scores on BDI and BAI. The caregivers of those patients with younger age of disease onset had significantly higher total scores of EE scale compared to those with higher age of disease onset. It was observed that the caregivers of schizophrenia patients with hospitalizations had significantly higher EE scale scores than those without. In the caregiver group, a significant and positive relationship was found between the total and all subscale scores of EE scale and the BDI and the BAI scores. The age of schizophrenia patients had a statistically significant negative relationship with the BDI and BAI scores of the caregivers. Besides, the age of disease onset of the schizophrenia patients had a statistically significant negative relationship with the total EE scale, BDI and BAI scores of the caregivers. A significant and positive relationship was observed between the number of hospitalizations of the patients and the EE scale total scores of the caregivers. Conclusion: In summary, our study suggests a relationship between the expressed emotion levels of the primary caregivers and the age of onset of schizophrenia and the number of hospitalizations. Key Words: Schizophrenia, caregiver, expressed emotion, depression, anxiety.