Expressed Emotion
Also written as: EE — Expressed Emotion
A measure of the emotional attitudes—particularly criticism, hostility, and emotional over-involvement—displayed by family members or caregivers toward an individual with a psychiatric disorder, shown to predict relapse rates.
Full Definition
Expressed emotion (EE) is a well-validated construct in psychiatric research and family therapy documentation, originally developed to predict relapse in schizophrenia. High expressed emotion in a family system is associated with elevated rates of psychiatric relapse and re-hospitalisation. In clinical documents, EE is typically discussed in family assessment sections, psychoeducation plans, and discharge planning notes. Editors must be aware that 'expressed emotion' is a specific technical construct and should not be edited to 'expressed feelings' or 'emotional expression,' which carry different meanings. The abbreviation EE should be expanded on first use. When editing family therapy or multifamily group documentation, correct rendering of this term signals accuracy in the broader clinical narrative.
Usage
Usage note: Do not paraphrase as 'emotional expression' or 'expressed feelings'—these are distinct concepts. Expand 'EE' on first use. This term is specific to family and systems-level assessment; do not use it to describe an individual patient's emotional display.
In Context
- "The family systems assessment noted high expressed emotion in the primary caregiver, a factor documented as a relapse risk in the discharge plan." — Psychiatric discharge planning note
- "Psychoeducation goals for the multifamily group included reducing expressed emotion through improved communication strategies." — Psychoeducational group curriculum