Expressed emotion among schizophrenic patients in Lagos, Nigeria: a pilot study.

Abstract

Follow-up treatment for patients with schizophrenia is to prevent relapse of their illness using not only pharmacological methods but also non-pharmacological approaches targeting such issues as expressed emotion. Expressed emotion (EE) can be described as an attitude displayed by family members or people in direct relationships with a patient that may have harmful effects and predict relapse. Of the five attributes of expressed emotion, critical comments, hostility and emotional over involvement have been shown to be most predictive of relapse. Expressed emotion can be rated as 'high' or 'low'.