Expressed emotion and family distress in relatives of patients with schizophrenia in Japan

We evaluated the association between distress and expressed emotion (EE) in family members of patients with schizophrenia by the General Health Questi onnaire (GHQ), the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI), and the Five-Minute S peech Sample (FMSS), The GHQ score was higher in the high-EE group determin ed by both the CFI and FMSS. The difference in the GHQ score between high-E E and low-EE groups was more marked for the CFI, Family distress is closely associated with the EE classification, but the EE classification by the CF I more markedly reflected family distress versus the FMSS, Even in relative s with low EE, distress was marked, and therefore, coping with mental healt h in family members is important. Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Compa ny.