This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Web of Science (1) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Healey, F. Articles by Chong, S. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Healey, F. Articles by Chong, S. A. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Cross-Cultural Validation of Expressed Emotion in Caregivers of Chinese Patients with First Episode Psychosis in Singapore: A Qualitative Study

Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore healey{at}singnet.com.sg;artp0342{at}nus.edu.sg

Vicky L.M. Tan

Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore

S. A. Chong

Department of Early Psychosis Intervention, Institute of Mental Health, Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore

Background: The concept of Expressed Emotion (EE; Brown et al., 1972), a measure of criticism, over-involvement and hostility in families, has been shown to be a robust predictor of relapse in schizophrenia (Parker & Hadzi-Pavlovic, 1990). Recent criticism of using Western instruments in Asian countries has led to more stringent procedures for validation of scales.

Aims: The first aim was to establish that the concept of Expressed Emotion exists in Singapore. The second aim was to examine the Level of Expressed Emotion (LEE; Cole & Kazarian, 1988, Gerlsma & Hale, 1997) scale to ascertain the conceptual and construct operationalisation of this instrument in this culture.

Methods: This was a qualitative study. The concept of EE was examined using a Singaporean population; 10 patient–caregiver pairs were recruited and interviewed using a semi-structured interview format. Regarding the LEE, small focus-group interviews were conducted with a cross-section of Singaporeans to gain their views on the concepts in the scale and the relevance of the items in this culture.

Results: The interviews were analysed in light of attitudes found to discriminate between high and low EE families (Leff & Vaughn, 1985). A clear distinction between high and low EE groups was found. With regard to the LEE, the data from the focus groups, for the most part, supported the cross-cultural conceptual and operational equivalence of the scale and suggestions for additional items were made.

Conclusion: There is support for the existence of EE among families in Singapore, and the LEE was found, for the most part, to be applicable in Singapore, with the addition of several emic items.

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, Vol. 52, No. 3, 199-213 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0020764006067199


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?