Controllability perceptions and reactions to symptoms of schizophrenia: A within-family comparison of relatives with high and low expressed emotion.

In a sample of 35 family members of patients with recent-onset schizophrenia, attributions of control and the content of critical comments were compared for 2 relatives of the same household who held discrepant expressed emotion (EE) attitudes (1 high and 1 low) toward their mentally ill family member. Attributions and the content of critical comments were also compared for low-EE relatives from low-EE homes versus low-EE relatives from high-EE homes. Our results indicate that high-EE relatives tend to attribute more control over behavior to patients than do low-EE relatives of the same patient. In addition, low-EE relatives from high-EE homes attribute more behavioral control to patients than do low-EE relatives from low-EE homes. These findings suggest that EE status is linked to attributions of control over behaviors, but additional patient factors or influences among family members may also affect EE attitudes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validation of a short version of the Camberwell Family Interview.

Describes the validation of a short version of the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI; J. Leff and C. Vaughan, 1985) for the assessment of expressed emotion (EE) in family members with a schizophrenic relative. The Short CFI produced ratings for the EE dimensions of Criticism, Emotional Overinvolvement, and Warmth that were strongly associated with ratings of the same dimensions on the standard, full-length version of the CFI while requiring about one half of the time to administer and score. Validity of the Short CFI was supported by correlations between ratings on the Short CFI and behavioral observations of relatives during a problem-solving interaction with the ill family member. The results suggest that family EE can be reliably assessed with the Short CFI, thus enabling investigators to assess dimensions of family affect toward an ill relative using a more time efficient but equally valid instrument comparable to the standard-length CFI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

With a little help from my friend: Effect of single or multiple act aid as a function of donor and task characteristics.

96 Israeli males were asked to bring a good same-sex friend with them to the experiment. Half the Ss were told that their teammate, with whom they were to interact at a later stage of the experiment, was their friend. The other half were told that they had been teamed up with someone whom they did not know. Ss were instructed to solve a detective story, the performance of which was presented to half the Ss as related to ego-relevant dimensions (e.g., intelligence, creativity) and to the other half as related to non-ego-relevant dimensions (e.g., luck and momentary mood). The assignment was insolvable, and Ss were helped by their supposed teammate to obtain the "correct" solution. Half received help on one detective story, and the other half received help on 2 stories. Results show that Ss who had been helped twice on an ego-relevant task by a good friend had the least-favorable affect and self-evaluations. Ss who had been helped twice by a good friend on a non-ego-relevant dimension tended to have the most-favorable affect and self-evaluations. Similar patterns were observed for measures of external perception (i.e., liking for helper, evaluations of helper, and relations with the helper). Implications for research on recipient reactions to aid, social comparison processes, and close interpersonal relations are discussed. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral correlates of maternal expressed emotion in interaction tasks.

Family expressed emotion (EE), a measure of emotional overinvolvement (EOI) and criticism (CRIT), is predictive of relapses and poor treatment outcomes among adults experiencing a range of psychopathology and may predict outcomes among youth with mood disorders. Although it is typically measured by an individual interview with a family member, EE is thought to index family processes and, therefore, should be reflected in family interactional behavior. We examined the association between maternal EE and interactional behavior in a sample of mothers and their 8–12-year-old children. Mother–child dyads participated in three video-recorded interaction tasks—two problem-solving tasks and one planning-fun-activity task. Maternal EE was measured by the Five Minute Speech Sample, and mothers were classified as CRIT, EOI, or low EE. Maternal interactional behavior was coded using the Living in Family Environments coding system. Repeated measures analyses of variance were used to test the hypothesis that both maternal EE and the type of task would predict maternal interactional behavior. On average, maternal critical behavior increased from the first to the second problem-solving task and decreased during the planning-fun-activity task. Mothers high in CRIT showed greater relative frequencies of critical behavior as compared to mothers high in EOI or mothers low in EE. The results suggest that maternal CRIT, as assessed by the Five Minute Speech Sample, is significantly associated with observed maternal critical behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expressed emotion and familial interaction: A study with agoraphobic and obsessive-compulsive patients and their relatives.

Patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia (n = 40) or obsessive- compulsive disorder (n = 61) participated in a 10-min problem-solving interaction with their primary relative. Relatives were categorized as hostile or nonhostile toward the patient on the basis of a measure of expressed emotion (EE). Observed interactions between patients and their hostile relatives, relative to those of dyads with a nonhostile relative, were marked by higher rates of relatives' criticism and of patients' negativity but not by higher rates of negative reciprocity. Analyses of sequences indicated that the dyads with a hostile relative had a higher rate of sequences in which the relative was first critical and the patient then negative than was the case for dyads with nonhostile relatives. Moreover, hostile relatives were more frequently critical than nonhostile relatives whether patients' preceding behavior was positive, negative, or neutral. The findings are consistent with the stress-vulnerability model of the effect of EE on mental health, in that patients living with a high EE relative appear to be exposed to higher levels of interpersonal stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stability of expressed emotion in relatives of those with schizophrenia and its relationship with burden of care and perception of patients' social functioning

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that high expressed emotion (EE) in relatives of patients with schizophrenia is associated with higher levels of burden of care, and with worse perception of patient's social functioning. However, it is not clear whether changes in EE levels over time are associated with changes in relatives' burden of care and their perception of patients' social functioning. METHODS: Fifty patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and 50 relatives were included in the study soon after patients' admission to hospital. Thirty-six relatives and 31 patients were re-assessed 9 months after patients' discharge. Both assessments included patients' symptomatology and relatives' EE levels, burden of care, and perception of patients' social functioning. RESULTS: Twenty-three relatives (64%) had the same EE level in both assessments, nine (25%) had changed from high to low EE, and four (11%) from low to high EE. Improvement in burden and perception of patients' social role performance were significantly more accentuated among relatives who changed from high to low EE than among relatives who had a stable EE level. Variables that best predicted changes in EE levels were changes in burden scores and number of hours of contact between patients and relatives at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Change in EE is associated with change in circumstances and burden. Findings support the idea that EE is better understood in an integrative model.     

Expressed emotion and attributions in the relatives of bipolar patients: An analysis of problem-solving interactions.

Among the relatives of schizophrenic and depressed patients, high expressed emotion (EE) attitudes are associated with "controllability attributions" about the causes of patients' symptoms and problem behaviors. However, previous studies have judged EE attitudes and causal attributions from the same assessment measure, the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI; C. E. Vaughn and J. P. Leff, 1976). The authors examined causal attributions among relatives of 47 bipolar patients, as spontaneously expressed to patients in family problem-solving interactions during a postillness period. Relatives rated high EE during the patients' acute episode (based on the CFI) were more likely than relatives rated low EE to spontaneously attribute patients' symptoms and negative behaviors to personal and controllable factors during the postillness interactional assessment. Thus, the EE-attribution linkage extends to the relatives of bipolar patients evaluated during a family interaction task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Veridicality of social support: A comparison of principal and network members' responses.

Examined (1) the extent to which there is agreement between an individual and his/her social network member in their report of whether social support is provided or received (i.e., veridicality); (2) the relation between veridicality and feelings of closeness; and (3) the effect of veridicality on well-being. Ss were part of a larger national study and included 218 principal Ss (aged 70–95 yrs) and 497 network members (aged 18–92 yrs). Veridicality was assessed by matching the congruence of perception between the principal and network Ss. Overall well-being was measured through an assessment of life satisfaction. Specific veridicality ranged from 49 to 60%; overall veridicality reached a high of 79%. When examined by relationship, both specific and overall veridicality was highest between spouses, somewhat high among other family members, and lowest among friends. Feelings of closeness were significantly related to veridicality; principal Ss who reported feeling close to their network members had greater veridicality. Veridicality was not significantly related to life satisfaction, happiness, or negative affect. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multimethod assessment of rapists, child molesters, and three control groups on behavioral and psychological measures.

12 males in each of 5 groups (rapists, child molesters, non-sex-offender inmates, low socioeconomic status [SES] volunteers, and college students who were infrequent daters) were observed interacting with a female confederate in a naturalistic interaction and in role-play scenes. Ss also completed measures including the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List, Rathus Assertiveness Schedule, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, and Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale. Overall, heterosocial skill deficits were observed in child molesters and rapists in comparison with the control groups. Rapists displayed higher physiological indices of anxiety during role-play scenes that demanded assertive responses, and child molesters displayed a fear of negative evaluations. Child molesters were also characterized by highly stereotyped views of sex role behavior. Measures of hostility or impulsivity were not useful in distinguishing child molesters and rapists from the 3 control groups. Treatment and assessment implications for sex offenders are discussed. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role of social competence in borderline essestial hypertension.

Examined the social competence of 22 male borderline hypertensives (aged 19–45 yrs) in relation to cardiovascular responsivity to a behavioral role-play test (RPT) of assertiveness. Ss were divided into 2 groups: one group experienced large increases in pulse pressure (PP) in response to social challenge (Group 1), while the other group showed small changes in PP (relatively equal rises in systolic and diastolic blood pressure) under the same stimulus condition (Group 2). These differential group patterns of cardiovascular response were specific to interpersonal stressors because the groups did not differ in reactivity to cognitive challenges. Group 2 Ss evidenced unassertive responding on a role-play test of negative assertion and were rated by significant others as the least socially competent as compared to normotensive controls (who received the highest social competence ratings) and Ss in Group 1. Group 1 Ss responded in an inappropriately assertive fashion on the RPT and had shorter response latencies during the RPT than Ss in Group 2, suggesting that Ss in Group 2 had greater levels of interpersonal anxiety. Findings indicate that hostile inappropriate assertiveness and inappropriate submissiveness may be associated with hypertension. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assertiveness training for disabled adults in wheelchairs: Self-report, role-play, and activity pattern outcomes.

34 physically disabled adults participated in an 11-wk assertiveness training (AT) program. Ss were randomly assigned to either AT or a waiting-list (WL) condition. Each was asked to complete 3 self-report measures, a role-play test, and a social and recreational activity diary. The AT Ss showed significant improvements on both self-reported assertiveness and role-play performance from pre- to posttreatment, whereas WL controls showed no changes on these measures. No significant changes in frequency of social or recreational activities were found at posttest for either AT or control Ss. A mixed pattern of results was shown at 6-mo follow-up. Posttest gains were maintained across all self-report measures of assertiveness and acceptance of disability, whereas role-play performance approached baseline levels at 6-mo follow-up. Overall results support the use of AT in enhancing perceived social efficacy and interpersonal skill of physically disabled adults in wheelchairs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expressed emotion and communication deviance in the families of schizophrenics.

Investigated the relation between 2 measures of family communication, intrafamilial expressed emotion (EE) and communication deviance (CD). Ss were 205 relatives of recently episodic schizophrenics from 3 samples collected in the US and the UK. Ss were rated according to their participation in a family interview. Findings indicate that high-EE relatives had higher levels of CD than did low-EE relatives in all 3 samples. When high-EE relatives were subdivided according to the specific EE attitude they manifested (i.e., criticism and/or emotional overinvolvement), those relatives showing emotionally overinvolved attitudes exhibited the highest levels of CD and were consistently separable from low-EE relatives on the CD measure. The potential impact that high-EE/high-CD environments may have on schizophrenic patients is discussed. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ecological validity of role plays for assessing heterosocial anxiety and skill of male college students.

Examined the ecological validity of role-played dating interactions. 45 male undergraduates, categorized into low-, medium-, and high-frequency dating groups (Social Activity Questionnaire), participated in 4 heterosexual social (heterosocial) situations in a laboratory. Two situations were role plays simulating dating interactions, and 2 were more naturalistic waiting-period interactions. Controls for confederate familiarity and role-play order were used. Judges rated Ss as more skillful in role plays than waiting periods and rated low-frequency daters as more anxious than high-frequency daters. High-frequency daters rated themselves as more skillful than did low-frequency daters. Ss rated the waiting-period interactions as more like "real life" and their behavior in waiting periods as more representative of everyday heterosocial interactions. However ANOVAs did not result in major differences between role plays and waiting periods, and correlational analyses indicated that the relative ranking of Ss was similar in role plays and waiting periods. Implications for the use of role-play assessments in the heterosocial skill area are discussed. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Satisfaction with social support during crisis: Intimacy and self-esteem as critical determinants.

Satisfaction with social support was studied longitudinally in 113 17–40 yr old Israeli women following the outcome of both normal and medically complicated pregnancies (delivery by cesarean section, delivery of an infant weighing under 2 kg, or spontaneous abortion before the 3rd trimester). Ss were interviewed concerning the size of their social networks, the number of friends and family members in their networks, perceived intimacy with spouse, and perceived intimacy with at least 1 friend and 1 family member. Included in the interviews were measures of self-esteem, intimacy, social network structure, and satisfaction with support. Findings show that greater intimacy with spouse and with friends was related to greater satisfaction with support received during the crisis period. Intimate ties contributed to satisfaction with support independent of self-esteem, social network parameters, and type of pregnancy outcome. Social network parameters and pregnancy outcome were not related to satisfaction with support. Among Ss low in self-esteem, greater intimacy with family was related to lower satisfaction with support if the Ss lacked intimate ties with spouse or a friend. Clinical and social psychological theories regarding reaction to aid are discussed. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Humour appreciation as a function of canned laughter, a mirthful companion, and field dependence: Facilitation and inhibitory effects.

187 undergraduate females who had been administered the portable rod-and-frame test were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions defined by the presence or absence of canned laughter and presence or absence of a mirthful confederate. As Ss rated the funniness of single-frame cartoons characterized by aggressive/humor content, their behavior was videotaped and subsequently scored for frequency and duration of laughter and smiling. Results support the prediction that the mirthful confederate would enhance measures of humor appreciation. However, no support was obtained for a similar prediction concerning canned laughter. Rather, the canned laughter and confederate manipulations interacted significantly: Ss accompanied by the confederate, but not Ss alone, laughed less frequently when canned laughter was present than when it was absent. Of 3 predictions involving cognitive style, only 1 received partial support: The enhancement of laughter by the confederate was greater for field-dependent than for field-independent Ss. Results are interpreted in terms of social facilitation and psychological reactance. (French abstract) (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-schemas, possible selves, and competent performance.

College students were classified as either schematic for being a good problem solver (i.e., they believed they were very good in this area, and this ability was very important to their self-evaluation) or aschematic for this ability (i.e., they believed they had moderate ability in this area, and this ability was of moderate to low importance to their self-evaluation). In Study 1, schematic and aschematic Ss performed equally well in an initial problem-solving test; however, aschematic Ss did not enjoy the task and had negative possible selves related to logical ability active in working memory. In Study 2, aschematic Ss maintained competent performance on a problem-solving test only when given failure feedback on an earlier test. The results point to the importance of the self-concept in the development and maintenance of competence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social networks and developmental psychopathology: A comparison of adolescent children of a depressed, arthritic, or normal parent.

Investigated how social networks were linked to symptomatology and self-esteem among 3 groups of high-risk and normal adolescents (aged 12–28 yrs). 16 Ss with a depressed parent, 16 Ss with a parent with rheumatoid arthritis, and 16 Ss with parents free from psychological or physical disorder were administered the Hopkins Symptom Checklist and measures of self-esteem and social networks. Additional social network, friendship, and parent–friend boundary density variables were assessed during a semistructured interview. Although there were few between-group differences in mean levels of network variables, there were striking between-group differences in the pattern of associations between network variables and mental health. For Ss with a depressed or arthritic parent, more social support for problematic situations, stronger friendships, and more parent–peer linkages were related to much poorer adjustment. For Ss with disorder-free parents, these same network variables were related to much healthier adjustment. The discussion considers how developmental, psychodynamic, and social-structural factors may interact to affect well-being. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Situational determinants of social anxiety in clinic and nonclinic samples: Physiological and cognitive correlates.

Compared the level of physiological reactivity and frequency of negative cognitions in 26 nonclinic, socially anxious (SA) Ss (mean age 20.8 yrs), 17 clinic SA patients (mean age 40.8 yrs), and 26 nonsocially anxious (NSA) Ss (mean age 22.0 yrs) to investigate the consistency of cognitive and physiological reactivity in the assessment of social anxiety. A social interaction self-statement test served as the cognitive measure. Physiological reactivity was monitored continuously throughout Ss' completion of the following behavioral tasks: an unstructured interpersonal interaction with an opposite-sex confederate, a similar interaction with a same-sex confederate, and an impromptu talk on a topic selected by the S. The clinic and nonclinic samples of SA Ss differed significantly from the NSA Ss in level of physiological reactivity and type of cognition. There were no significant differences between the 2 anxious groups. The results indicate that both thoughts and physiological reactivity were influenced by situational parameters. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ego-identity status, personality, and social-influence style.

80 female undergraduates were identified as having diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, of identity achievement statuses on the Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status. Ss then completed the Test of Attentional and Interpersonal Style and engaged in a social influence experiment with a same- or opposite-sex peer confederate. Results show that foreclosure Ss were least able to integrate ideas and to think analytically, whereas moratorium and achievement Ss were better able to process large amounts of information and to be alone with their thoughts and feelings. Diffusion and foreclosure Ss were also more likely than moratorium and achievement Ss to make errors in judgment due to reduced attentional focus. In the social influence task, identity-achievement Ss were more likely to use verbally aggressive behavior, whereas foreclosure Ss manifested a greater degree of image-control behavior. Lower ego-identity statuses were associated with more frequent use of resources and deception. The sex of the confederate also differentially affected the behaviors of Ss with different ego-identity statuses. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expressed emotion, attributions, and schizophrenia symptom dimensions.

Using a sample of 40 Anglo American family members of schizophrenic patients, the present study replicates and lends cross-cultural support for an attribution–affect model of expressed emotion (EE). Consistent with attribution theory, the authors found that highly critical relatives (high-EE) viewed the illness and associated symptoms as residing more within the patient's personal control as compared with less critical relatives (low-EE). A content analysis classified the types of behaviors and symptoms most frequently criticized by relatives. Symptoms reflecting behavioral deficits (e.g., poor hygiene) were found to be criticized more often than symptoms reflecting behavioral excesses (e.g., hallucinations). In line with an attribution–affect framework, relatives may be less tolerant of behavioral deficits because they are viewed as intentional, whereas behavioral excesses are easily recognized as core symptoms of mental illness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)