Relationship between Caregiver's Expressed Emotions and Patient's Symptoms Severity among Schizophrenic Patients: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: Schizophrenia is one of the most common mental disorders which is characterized by debilitating nature and recurrent relapse of its psychotic episodes that have been often misunderstood and lead to confusion among the family members, who play the role as primary caregivers. Although expressed emotion (EE) has been widely studied in the Western world, it is not well understood in Middle East communities. Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess and compare the association between expressed emotion EE and patients’ symptoms severity among caregivers of schizophrenic patients in two Middle East countries (Egypt and Saudi Arabia).Methods: A convenient sample of 120 patients and their caregivers was selected; (60) patients and their caregivers from Saudi Arabia, and (60) caregivers and their patients from Egypt. Three tools were utilized in the current study including; (1) the Socio-demographic Data Sheet; (2) The Family Attitude Scale (FAS); and (3) Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).Results: The study result revealed that there were statistically significant relationships between FAS levels and Egyptian and Saudi patients' duration of illness as (X²=24.466, p=.000, and X²= 10.792, p=.001 respectively). However, Egyptians and Saudi patients did not differ in relation to the number of patients' admission and caregivers' FAS. Conclusion: The study concluded that, Egyptian patients' socio-demographic and medical characteristics differ with FAS levels; however, Saudi patients did not. On the other hand, PANSS scores differ by Saudi patients' socio-demographic and medical characteristics. Recommendations: The study recommended that there is a need to develop specialized nursing interventions program to raise awareness of family caregiver by schizophrenia and mange their psychological and emotional problems that result from caring for mentally ill patients.

Keywords: Expressed emotions, Symptom intensity, Schizophrenic patients