The Family Questionnaire: Development and validation of a new self-report scale for assessing expressed emotion

Abstract

The level of expressed emotion (EE) as assessed in the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI) has proved to be one of the best predictors of relapse in schizophrenia. The present study describes the development and validation of the Family Questionnaire (FQ), a brief self-report questionnaire measuring the EE status (criticism, emotional overinvolvement) of relatives of patients with schizophrenia. The FQ classifications in the initial sample of relatives ( N=76) correlated significantly with the ratings in the CFI subcategories ‘criticism’ (78% correct classifications) and ‘emotional overinvolvement’ (71% correct classifications), as well as with the overall CFI EE ratings (74% correct classifications). A validation study in an independent second sample ( N=79) yielded similar results. The overall correct classification rate of 74% remained unchanged. The FQ had better agreement with the CFI on emotional overinvolvement than did other short EE questionnaires.