Emotion Focused Therapy

Emotion Focused Therapy

Introduction

Research in the mental health profession regarding mood disorders in children are largely based on adult populations. The affect on the family are often devastating and create a revolving cycle of treatment and hospitalization without periods of stabilization. However, according to McMahon and Peters (2002), behavior does not occur in a vacuum. Rather, behavior is a complex phenomenon that impacts all family members and is based on a plethora of variables including biological, psychological (i.e., personality and emotional) and social factors. Expressed emotion (EE) is a measure of parents” critical, hostile and/or emotionally over-involved attitudes toward a relative with a psychiatric disorder. High EE attitudes by family members toward other family members with psychiatric disorders can have a negative effect on rehabilitation. This is well established in the literature and supported by Expectancy Theory among other theoretical constructs. High EE among families is a strong predictor of relapse for people with severe mental illness. Therefore, all the issues related to Emotion Focused Therapy will be discussed in detail.

Background of Emotion Focused Therapy

Although mood disorders are often considered rare in children, in recent years it has become a frequent diagnosis for youth. Research studies regarding the influence of negative or high EE parents or caregivers of children with mood disorders produce evidence of the influence this has on patient relapse. Studies in this particular area have been largely on parents of adults with schizophrenia and high EE. There is currently a limited amount of information focusing solely on EE of parents toward children with mood disorders and the effectiveness of family focused therapy. FFT is used as an intervention by psychotherapists to improve relationships within a family unit. It is a psychosocial approach, which teaches family communication and problem solving skills to relatives of people with mood disorders. A psychotherapist choosing to use this technique with parents of children with mood disorders would initiate it once they are stabilized on medication and are currently receiving outpatient treatment services (Bardick, 2005, 77).

FFT is administered alongside of standard pharmacotherapy and can involve a child and one or both parents over a nine month period. However, for the purpose of this study, therapeutic sessions are offered over a three month period (12 sessions) and would involve only one parent or caregiver per child. The psychotherapist would offer 12 sessions, administered in three distinct phases. The phases consist of the psychotherapist providing a parent or caregiver information regarding symptoms, risk and protective factors, etiology, medical and self-management. Consequently, there is a need to determine the change in EE attitudes by parents engaged in active treatment techniques from which to measure program effectiveness, or lack thereof. Moreover, this data provides valuable information from which to post treatment changes based on specific subcomponents of emotional attitudes that improve the least amount over the course of treatment (Berenson, 2006, 124).

Description of Emotion Focused Therapy

Expressed Emotion (EE) is a measure of parents' critical, hostile, and /or emotionally over involvement attitudes toward ...