[An objective method for the assessment of expressed emotions and symptoms during direct family transactions in schizophrenia].

Evidence suggests that expressed emotions (EEs) play a critical role in relapse in schizophrenia and adversely affect the long-term course of the disorder. In this paper we describe a method which is suitable for the objective assessment of EEs and associated psychopathological symptoms during direct family interactions. The patients and one of their family members participated in a 20-min interaction during which the number of relatives' criticism and the number of patients' unusual thoughts was measured (Rosenfarb IS, Goldstein MJ, Mintz J, Nuechterlein KH: Expressed emotion and subclinical psychopathology observable within the transactions between schizophrenic patients and their family members. J Abnorm Psychol 1995; 104:259-267). The results revealed that the mean number of criticism was 4.3 (SD=4.0), and the mean number of unusual thoughts was 3.2 (SD=3.9). The interrater reliability was high (kappa=0.78). Based on the assessment of this Hungarian sample, this method has been proven to be suitable for the evaluation of EEs and psychopathology during interpersonal transactions. Given that EE reactivity is related to cognitive functions, cognitive enhancers may have a positive effect.