The Family Environment Scale scores and demographic characteristics of
108 discharged psychiatric patients were used to predict outcome at 3
months and 1 year. Higher ratings of family expressiveness predicted fewer
days of rehospitalization, especially among schizophrenic patients. Higher
family cohesion scores predicted better family-rated patient adjustment.
The patients were more likely to rate themselves as better adjusted if they
had higher incomes, lived with parents rather than a spouse, and came from
families with less emphasis on independence. Family environment was a
better predictor of rehospitalization than baseline ratings of clinical
status, indicating the importance of family support in the community
adjustment of chronic psychiatric patients.Abstract Teaser