Does expressed emotion predict behaviour therapy outcome at follow‐up for obsessive‐compulsive disorder and agoraphobia?

Abstract

The relationship of expressed emotion (EE) to outcome of behaviour therapy at 1-year follow-up was examined in a sample of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA). Included were 54 subjects who were reliably changed after outpatient treatment via in vivo exposure (plus response prevention for OCD). Perhaps because few clients relapsed (11%), EE variables assessed by the Camberwell Family Interview and perceived criticism ratings, although successful in predicting drop-out and posttest outcome in this sample, were not significantly related to regression during the follow-up period. The sole exception, critical comments from the CFI, predicted worsened social adjustment at follow-up, but only for PDA patients. The experience of stressful life events did not interact with EE variables to predict outcome.

Perceived criticism predicts outcome of psychotherapy for panic disorder: Replication and extension.

“…Our results are in keeping with other research finding that PCM predicted symptom exacerbation or relapse in the follow-up period after treatment (see Supplemental Table 1). However, they are partly inconsistent with the one prior study on anxiety disorders, in which PCM predicted less change during active treatment but not symptom change in the follow-up period for those who initially responded to treatment (Chambless & Steketee, 1999; Steketee & Chambless, 2001). 3 Why our results would deviate from those of the earlier study is not clear, but there were a number of procedural differences between the two research projects.…”

“…3 Why our results would deviate from those of the earlier study is not clear, but there were a number of procedural differences between the two research projects. For example, Chambless and Steketee analyzed the PC-outcome relation for the acute phase for treatment completers only (having shown PCM did not predict drop-out) and, for the follow-up phase (Steketee & Chambless, 2001), only for those who had met criteria for reliable change on fear and avoidance at termination. In the present study, we focused on change in PD severity with a broader measure that assessed disability, anticipatory anxiety, and frequency and severity of panic attacks as well as phobic avoidance, and we included the entire intention to treat sample 4 from pretest to follow-up, using modern techniques to estimate missing data.…”

Social support, anxiety and depression after chemotherapy for ovarian cancer: A prospective study

“…Such negative interpersonal environments have been assessed, both through interviews with the significant others (Tarrier, Somerfield, & Pilgrim, 1999) and the perception of the patient (Hooley & Teasdale, 1989), and have been shown to be associated with poor psychological outcome. For example, negative interpersonal interactions or their perceptions have been found to be associated with the onset of psychological disorder (Holeva, Tarrier, & Wells, 2001;McCarthy, Tarrier, & Gregg, 2002), their relapse (Hooley & Teasdale, 1989;Steketee & Chambless, 2001) and poor response to treatment (Tarrier et al, 1999). Although many cancer patients derive considerable support from their significant others, unhelpful responses to cancer patients from those close to them are well documented and have been shown to have significantly adverse effects on their wellbeing (Manne, Taylor, Dougherty, & Kemeny, 1997;Pistrang & Barker, 1995).…”

Matching of received social support with need for support in adjusting to cancer and cancer survivorship

“…And, Reynolds and Perrin showed that among breast cancer patients, misalignment of support between the provider and receiver of social support significantly influenced psychosocial adjustment, and unwanted but received support was uniquely associated with poor psychosocial adjustment. From a broader perspective, negative interpersonal interactions have been associated with the onset of psychological disorder , exacerbation of autoimmune disorders , and poor response to cancer treatment . Such findings are integral to the body of research in this area because the negative effects of social support may be just as impactful, if not more so, than the positive effects of social support .…”

“…From a broader perspective, negative interpersonal interactions have been associated with the onset of psychological disorder [15,16], exacerbation of autoimmune disorders [17], and poor response to cancer treatment [18]. Such findings are integral to the body of research in this area because the negative effects of social support may be just as impactful, if not more so, than the positive effects of social support [19].…”