The reliability and validity of measurement of Expressed Emotion in family members with schizophrenia

Abstract

西方研究者发现精神分裂症患者家属的情感表达与患者的复发之间存在密切的关系。本研究的目的是在北京 (某一中国文化背景下 )测量精神分裂症患者家属的情感表达并检验其信度和效度。结果显示 :5min家属访谈结果按照Magana的评判标准 ,发现 1 5(2 9.4% )名家属属于高情感表达批评型 ,7(1 3 .7% )名家属属于高情感表达过分投入型。家属态度量表(FAS)和辅助量表 (ACL)呈现出较好的内部一致性 ,且彼此显著相关 ,但与 5min访谈没有统计学上的显著相关。 The aim of this study is to test the reliability and validity of measurement of expressed emotion in Chinese culture. A convenience sample of relatives was selected from Beijing Anding Hospital during December 1998 to February 1999. Fifty-one family members who lived with schizophrenic patients more than three months before admission were interviewed within the first week of the patient’s hospitalization. They were interviewed by Five Minutes Interview (FMI) which was conducted along the lines of the Five Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) proposed by Magana, et al (1986), and asked to fill Family Attitude Scale (FAS) and Adjective Checklist (ACL).Fifteen (29.4%) relatives were judged to be high EE critical, and 7 (13.7%) relatives were judged to be high EE EOI. The brief interview proved sensitive in detecting expressed emotion in the dimensions used in many studies in European cultures. However, as there was no demonstrated relationship between the interview data and the quantitative instruments, further research is recommended to explore the culture issues which may be operating in these Chinese families. The results showed that the FAS and the ACL had a significant correlation between, but no statistically significant relationship with the FMI. As the FAS and the ACL proved internally consistent and compared favorably with other studies, it may be measuring elements of the family emotional climate which differs to those exposed by the brief EE interview.