Emotional Overinvolvement in Parents of Patients with Schizophrenia or Related Psychosis: Demographic and Clinical Predictors

Abstract

BackgroundParental emotional overinvolvement (EOI) may entail a worse outcome in schizophrenia. In the present study we examined demographic and clinical predictors of EOI.MethodThe predictors were examined in a Norwegian sample of 41 recently admitted patients (schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder) and 66 parents. Parents' expressed emotion was assessed by the Camberwell Family Interview.ResultsRegression analyses showed that higher EOI was significantly related, on the part of the parent to being a mother, single, spending more time with the patient; and, on the part of the patient, to no substance misuse, more anxiety–depression, and less uncritical and aggressive behaviour. EOI was not linked to previous hospital admissions.ConclusionOur analyses indicate that characteristics of the parent and of the parent–patient dyad seem to be the most important determinants of EOI. EOI is probably not linked to psychotic relapse, but rather to affective disturbances in the patient.