Expressed Emotion and Sensitivity to Criticism in Schizophrenic and Mood Disorder Patients

Abstract

Expressed emotion (EE) refers to the quality of the emotional climate between a relative and a family member with a serious psychiatric disorder. Present study was aimed at studying expressed emotion and sensitivity to criticism in schizophrenic and mood disorder patients. Total sample of the present study comprised 75 subjects, 25 each, in three categories, i.e., schizophrenic patients, mood disorder patients and the control group. Data was collected by administering expressed emotion (LEE) scale and sensitivity to criticism (STC) scale. Obtained data were analyzed with the help of one way ANOVA and post-hoc (Scheffe) test. Results showed that on all the four dimensions of expressed emotion schizophrenic patients differed significantly from mood disorder patients and the control group. Mood disorder patients also differed significantly from the control group on all the dimensions of expressed emotion. On sensitivity to criticism, schizophrenic patients and mood disorder patients differed significantly from the control group. However, a significant difference was not found between schizophrenic and mood disorder patients on this dimension.