Impact of Family Expressed Emotion upon Schizophrenic Patients

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the demographic characteristics of the patients. Describe the samples demographic profile by gender. Estimate the relationship between patient's socio-demographic (age, gender, education, marital status, kinship, income, employment, and the families expressed emotions.

Methodology: The study carried out on a purposive "non probability" sample of (100) schizophrenic patient were selected of Psychiatric Hospital in Baghdad City. A questionnaire is constructed for the purpose of the present study, which is distributed across 4 main parts. Part one is a covering letter to obtain the agreement of patients and their family members to participate in the present study, part tow included the demographic characteristics of the sample, and part three included the demographic characteristics of the sample concerned family members who provide care and for schizophrenic patients, part four the level of expressed emotion scale. The overall items, which were included in the questionnaire, are 42 items. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire were determined through the review of a panel of experts and the pilot study. Data were collected through the period of September 11^th 2011 to October 11^th 2011. It was analyzed through the descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, and mean of score) and inferential statistics.

Results: the results shows that The findings of the present study show that (46%) of the subjects are in the age group of 30-39, years. (62.8%) of the women reported that their income was inadequate compared to 33.3% of the men.

Conclusion: The results revealed that were a significant relationship was found in family expressed emotion with schizophrenic patient regarding to their Compliance with medication, family size, and patient income.

Recommendation: Collaboration between family members and mental health professional in the treatment of schizophrenic patient. Family Educational programs about how to deal with schizophrenic patient's behavior should be implemented to increase their knowledge about schizophrenia and accepting to schizophrenic patients.