Family Functioning, Expressed Emotion and Quality of Life in Adolescents with Early Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum and Affective Psychotic Disorders

Title:Family Functioning, Expressed Emotion and Quality of Life in Adolescents with Early Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum and Affective Psychotic Disorders

Volume: 11 Issue: 1

Author(s): Stavroula Ropi*, Gerasimos Kolaitis, Foivos Zaravinos-Tsakos, Christos Androutsos, Vaios Dafoulis, Maria Belivanaki, Chara Tzavara, Vasiliki Rotsika and Stylianos Christogiorgos

Affiliation:

• Department of Child Psychiatry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Athens,Greece

Keywords: Early onset schizophrenia, affective psychotic disorders, early onset bipolar disorder, expressed emotion, family functioning, quality of life.

Abstract:

Background: Quality of family functioning and levels of parental Expressed Emotion (criticism, hostility, or emotional overinvolvement) are prospectively associated with the course and outcome of a range of childhood psychiatric disorders.

Aims: This study examined family functioning, expressed emotion and quality of life, in a clinical sample of 40 adolescents presenting with schizophrenia spectrum or affective psychotic disorders.

Methods: Expressed Emotion was measured using the Family Questionnaire, family functioning using the Family Assessment Device and Quality of life using the KIDSCREEN 27.

Results: Parents scored high on both parts of the Family Questionnaire, the Critical Comments and Emotional Over-involvement. Higher Expressed Emotion was associated with more emotional difficulties of both parents, especially depressive features. Economic difficulties of the family were found to be negatively associated with the adolescents’ psychological wellbeing.

Conclusions: Overall, the study points out the need for appropriate family interventions, which will assist the caregivers in developing communication and problem-solving strategies and will contribute to the reduction of high levels of hostile or critical expressed emotion and emotional over-involvement within the family.

Cite this article as:

Ropi Stavroula*, Kolaitis Gerasimos, Zaravinos-Tsakos Foivos, Androutsos Christos , Dafoulis Vaios, Belivanaki Maria , Tzavara Chara, Rotsika Vasiliki and Christogiorgos Stylianos, Family Functioning, Expressed Emotion and Quality of Life in Adolescents with Early Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum and Affective Psychotic Disorders, Adolescent Psychiatry 2021; 11 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/2210676611666210610120637