Comparison of Level of Expressed Emotion between Family Caregivers of Patients with Mania and Schizophrenia

The burden of mental disorders continues to grow with significant impacts on health, social, human rights and economic consequences in all countries of the world. The objectives of the study were to assess and compare the level of expressed emotion among caregivers of patients with Mania and Schizophrenia. Quantitative descriptive approach was used for the study. The population under study were family caregivers of patients with Mania and Schizophrenia. Study was conducted among 20 subjects selected by purposive sampling technique. Level of expressed emotion scale was used to assess the expressed emotion of caregivers. The level of expressed emotion were compared by Mann Whitney U test and showed significant difference between the groups with p<0.05. Result revealed that the level of expressed emotion is seen more in family caregivers of patients with Schizophrenia than family caregivers of patients with Mania. The presence of significant increase in the amount of expressed emotion point out to the need for psychosocial support to the family members for the reduction in expressed emotion, which in turn reduce the relapse rates and helps the family caregivers to effectively cope and manage the ill family member.