Abstract
Introduction: This case report explores the impact of expressed emotion (EE) on the management of a patient with post-traumatic stress disorder. EE is a term used to denote the attitude of familial caregivers toward a person with a mental disorder.
Clinical Findings: We describe the case of a paraplegic patient living in an environment of high expressed emotion. The patient had no history of psychiatric illness prior to suffering a spinal cord injury. Since the injury the patient reports recurring symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder and worsening of symptoms due to family members expressing negative attitudes.
Conclusion: The construct of expressed emotion is accepted to be a reliable predictor of relapse for several psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety disorders. This case report suggests that further studies are warranted to explore the effect of expressed emotion on individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Recommended Citation
Drosky S, Reddy N, Espiridion E. The Role of Expressed Emotion on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Transformative Medicine. 2023; 2(2):40-43. doi: https://doi.org/10.54299/tmed/bcpm7888.