Introduction

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects 21 million people worldwide, and it brings about environments with high Expressed Emotion (EE) in the families of these individuals. High EE is characterized by negative evaluations, criticism, and overinvolvement of family members towards the person with schizophrenia.

Objective

Recognize the relationship between the cultural agreement about the symptoms of schizophrenia and EE.

Method

The study had a mixed design, with a cognitive anthropology method. The sample had a probabilistic estimate based on Weller and Romney proposal, with a competence higher than 50%, a confidence level of 95%, and 5% of type I error. The 40 participants were selected with a simple randomized probability sampling, conformed by relatives of patients from the Instituto Jalisciense de Salud Mental (SALME).

Results

The 45% of the sample showed a high EE according to the Questionnaire for Measuring the Level of Expressed Emotion (CEEE). A single valid cultural model with statistical significance was found, in which violence was identified as the main symptom of schizophrenia. The best-informed relatives showed a lower EE (Mann-Whitney U = 1,000, p< .001).

Discussion and conclusion

Schizophrenia disorder has been associated with stigmas that generate rejection and fear. A total of 40% of the world’s population believe people with schizophrenia are dangerous and violent. It must be considered opportune to reconsider the use of the term “schizophrenia”, which is etymologically imprecise and supports stigmas that have excluded and defamed people with schizophrenia for more than a century.