The relationship between expressed emotion and temperament traits in caregivers of schizophrenic patients

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In the present study, we were primarily interested in determining whether some temperamenttraits of the caregivers would be associated withtheir expressed emotion levels. We also examined the relationship of EE levels of the caregivers with some care and illness characteristics of the patients. METHODS: Seventy-six consecutive schizophrenic patients (aged between 18 and 65) according to the Psychotic Symptoms module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders Patient Edition (SCID-I/P, Version 2.0) and their primary caregivers who had no current DSM-IV diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and any anxiety disorders were included in the study. Expressed Emotion Scale, Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, The Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia tools were used for evaluation during study. RESULTS: The total and criticism/hostility subscale scores of EES were significantly correlated with depressive (r=0.35, p=0.002; r=0.36, p=0.001, respectively), cyclothymic (r=0.26, p=0.019; r=0.26, p=0.022, respectively), hyperthymic (r=0.28, p=0.014; r=0.26, p=0.022, respectively), and anxious temperament traits (r=0.31, p=0.006; r=0.30, p=0.007, respectively). Irritable temperament scores had a significant association with total EES scores (r=0.23, p=0.037). We have found that duration of the illness and patient care had significant inverse associations with total (r= -0.24, p=0.03;r= -0.29, p=0.009, respectively) and warmth subscale scores of EES (r= -0.34, p=0.002; r= -0.31, p=0.006, respectively). Depressive (β=0.287, t=2.737, p=0.008) and hyperthymic temperaments (β=0.223, t=2.138, p=0.036), and duration of patient care(β= -0.268, t= -2.609, p=0.011) were significantly associated with improved expressed emotion scores.