The Importance of Consumer Perceived Criticism on Clinical Outcomes for Outpatient African Americans with Schizophrenia

This is the second of two studies that tests the impact of family factors on consumer functioning. This study tests the impact
of the consumer’s perception of being criticized by the family (consumer perceived criticism) on the consumer’s clinical functioning.
It likewise, concurrently tests the impact that other family factors have on perceived criticism. The sample was ninety-three
consumer-family dyads. Results showed that none of the family factors directly contributed to level of perceived criticism,
but more consumer perceived criticism was significantly related to higher levels of psychiatric symptoms. The findings suggest
that an important component of treatment for symptom stabilization for African American consumers involves perceptions of
the family being critical toward the consumer. The finding confirms for a sample of poor outpatient African American consumers
what was found in previous research with African Americans. Results are in marked contrast to what impacted consumer psychosocial
functioning in the companion study, suggesting that clinical and psychosocial functioning domains are distinct, particularly
for African American consumers. This should be reflected in the interventions that are developed for African American consumers
and their families.