Exploring the Correlation between Coping Skills, Expressed Emotion, Quality of Life, and Overall Functioning among Patients with Schizophrenia in India

Description

Neeraj Agarwal, Bhaswati Das, and Saloni (Emoneeds, RNR Emotional Well-Being Technologies LLP, Gurugram, Haryana)

This study aimed to explore the relationship between coping skills, expressed emotion (EE), quality of life (QoL), and overall functioning among individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia in India. A correlational study was conducted with 70 participants diagnosed with schizophrenia, selected through purposive sampling from northern and eastern regions of India. Standardized tools were used, including the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) for assessing coping styles, Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale (FICS) for evaluating expressed emotion, WHOQOL-BREF for measuring quality of life, and WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS) for assessing overall functioning. Data were collected online through Google Forms after obtaining informed consent. Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed using SPSS 16.0 to examine relationships among variables. The findings revealed that overall QoL and general health were positively correlated with physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains of QoL (p < .01), and negatively correlated with functional disability (p < .01) and perceived criticism (p < .05). Task-oriented and avoidance-oriented coping styles were positively associated with better QoL and functioning, whereas emotion-oriented coping was negatively associated with overall well-being. High levels of perceived criticism were linked to lower QoL and increased functional disability. The study highlights that adaptive coping styles and supportive family emotional climates are related to improved quality of life and functioning among individuals with schizophrenia. Interventions focusing on strengthening task-oriented coping and reducing perceived criticism within families may significantly improve recovery and psychosocial outcomes in schizophrenia.