Expressed Emotion and Attributions in the Relatives of Bipolar Patients:.
An Analysis of Problem-Solving Interactions.
I) Introduction.
1. Various studies of schizophrenic and unipolar depressed patients have shown that high EE (expressed emotion), critical and/or hostile relatives are more likely then low EE or EOI (emotionally overinvolved) relatives to attribute to the the patient's symptoms and other negative behaviors to factors that are stable.
2. Investigation of the link between EE and attributions in previously unexamined population, the relatives of patients with bipolar disorder.
II) Hypothesis.
1. Examined the attributions relatives made regarding their own casual roles in undesirable patient behaviors.
2. Examined high and low EE relative's beliefs about the degree to which bipolar patients cause their own undesirable behaviors.
III) Method.
1. 66 bipolar patients and families were admitted but 14 did not complete the pre-treatment.
2. Remaining 52 patients: 17 men and 35 women between the ages of 18 and 56 years old. All patients met the criteria of bipolar 1 disorder.
3. The 52 family members were 28 men and 24 women between 23 and 80 years old. 12 rated with high EE and 40 rated with low EE.
4. The families participated in various problem solving interactions.
5. Relatives" attributions about the patients" versus the relatives" own role in causing negative events were examined separately with only one relative per patient.
IV) Results.
1. High EE relatives were more likely to make causal attributions about negative patient events then low EE relatives.
2. The participating 5 of 52 families made no attributions regarding negative patient-related events.
3. The 47 key relatives made a total of 257 attributions about undesirable patient events or behaviors during the face-to-face interactions.
V) Discussion.
1. Focus on the link between relatives" EE attitudes and their attributions about the causes of negative behaviors or symptoms in their bipolar offspring or spouse.