Family Factors and Psychosis (360G-Wellcome-206945_Z_17_Z)

My research will focus on individuals that have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or schizo-affective disorder. The hypothesis which I will test in this research is that poorly functioning families, alongside families with high expressed emotion, are a prognostic factor in the course of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder and are linked with the development of psychotic episodes as a symptom of these disorders. I aim to investigate the correlation of the severity of the illness with the level of dysfunction within the family and establish what specific changes can be made in the family system to serve as protective factors and hence improve patient outcomes. I also hope to identify which family styles are protective to patients' mental health and are associated with the best patient outcomes and how the family perspective on mental health impacts on the health and recovery of patients. I will ask patients and families to fill in suitable questionnaires and I will analyse the data collected to come to evidence based conclusions.I will complete the project by undertaking a cohort study with baseline data collection of patients and family members.