Maternal expressed emotion (EE) scales were rated for children aged 6-11 with conduct disorders, emotional disorders and a group of non-referred children matched for sex and age (N = 30 in each of the three groups). Maternal warmth distinguished significantly between the three groups (CD < ED < Controls), while criticism distinguished the group of conduct disordered children. Maternal criticism was positively associated with child behaviour ratings even within the non-referred group. These observational ratings of warmth and criticism were found to be much more strongly associated with child behaviour than maternal ratings of their family environment.
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Vostanis et al. (1994) studied this question.