Dj. Miklowitz et al., TARGETING DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY INTERACTIONS AND HIGH EXPRESSED EMOTION IN THE PSYCHOSOCIAL TREATMENT OF BIPOLAR DISORDER, In session, 4(3), 1998, pp. 25-38
Expressed emotion (EE) is discussed in relation to bipolar affective d
isorder, a major psychiatric illness involving fluctuating periods of
mania and expression, High levels of BE among relatives of bipolar cli
ents are conceptualized as reactions to the stress of adjusting to the
acute illness period and the post-episode aftercare period. EE has an
associated cognitive component involving certain styles of attributio
n about illness in the client, and a behavioral al component involving
aversive interaction patterns between the bipolar client and his or h
el relatives. Family-focused psychoeducational treatment-consisting of
psychoeducational about bipolar disorder, communication enhancement t
raining, and problem-solving skills training-addresses high EE on the
cognitive, affective and behavioral levels. A case study illustrates t
he Approach. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.