Reactions Toward Mental, Physical, and Substance‐Abuse Disorders

In this study, participants read 3 separate vignettes describing a hypothetical sibling with each of the following disorders: substance abuse, schizophrenia, and a physical illness. As hypothesized, and consistent with attribution theory, the hypothetical patient with a substance‐abuse disorder was perceived as having the most control over his or her illness and the associated symptoms, and the patient described as having a physical illness was perceived as having the least control over his or her illness. Also in support of attribution theory, the hypothetical patient described as having a substance‐abuse disorder elicited the most negative emotional reactions from participants, and the patient described as having a physical illness elicited the least negative emotional reactions. Again in support of attribution theory and study hypotheses, participants reported the most willingness to help a physically ill hypothetical sibling

Expressed emotion, communication deviance, and culture in families of patients with schizophrenia: a review of the literature

The aim of this article is to critically review the literature on expressed emotion (EE), communication deviance (CD), and culture in families of patients with schizophrenia. There is growing evidence that EE and CD are highly linked. Yet the two constructs together predict the development of schizophrenia and the associated symptoms better than either construct alone. In this article, the authors review data indicating that both the expression and the levels of high EE and CD vary by ethnicity. It may be especially difficult for family members to communicate coherently and in a less critical manner when focusing on patients' inability to sustain particular cultural norms and values that are endorsed by their family and ethnic background. The authors propose that more attention to the role of culture in EE and CD and greater focus on the proper assessment of these variables would further enhance our understanding of these constructs

Expressed emotion and interdependence in White and Latino/Hispanic family members of patients with schizophrenia

This study examined associations among ethnicity, expressed emotion (EE) and interdependence in a sample of 41 Latino/Hispanic and White family members of patients with schizophrenia. EE was assessed using both the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI) and the Five Minute Speech Sample (FMSS). These measures were found to be highly concordant for rating EE. However, the CFI appears to identify high EE more often than does the FMSS. Whites were designated as high EE significantly more often than were Latinos/Hispanics, regardless of assessment method. Using the interdependence subscale of the Self-Construal Scale, we found a strong trend for Latino/Hispanics to report a more interdependent self-construal than did Whites. However, contrary to expectations, interdependence was not found to mediate the relationship between ethnicity and EE. EE and interdependence may both play a role in the better course of illness observed for patients from traditional cultures. However, these two constructs may relate to patient functioning through different mechanisms