Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between perceived level of "expressed emotion" of patients with bipolar disorder and their key relative and rate of relapse and admission and compliance to medication. Method: This study included 60 patients with bipolar disorder and 60 relatives who have close relations with the patients. These relatives are called "key relative". The patients who had giyen consent to the study were interviewed before discharge from hospital. The patients were giyen Scale of "Level of expressed emotion" (LEE) and the relatives were giyen Turkish Expressed Emotion Scale (EE). In addition, two data forms rating demographics were used. The patients and the key relatives are grouped high and low EE according to mean of EE points and these two group are compared. Results: There were significant differences between high and low EE subgroups in relapse and admission rates and compliance to medication. It was found that the rate of relapse, admission and compliance to medication were worse in high EE group than low EE group. Conclusion: Expressed Emotion is an important component in prediction of relapse in patients with bipolar disorder. The subgroup "criticism-hostility" of EE has a major effect in prediction of relapse.

Key words: Bipolardisorder, expressed emotion, key relative, relapse