35 schizophrenic and 35 depressive inpatients treated at Bakırköy Mental Health Hospital were evaluated in and between groups depending on their sociodemographic features, perception of the level of expressed emotion and the life events 6 months before hospitalization. In this study Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Level of Expressed Emotion Scale (LEE) and the Psychiatric Epidemiology Research interview for Life Events Scale (PERI) were used. In general, the key relative chosen by the schizophrenic patient group were parents, on the level of expressed emotion scale. It was partner (husband or wife) in the depressive group. Considering the measure of subscales of intrusiveness and tolerance/expectations on the same scale the average of the schizophrenic patients was higher than the depressive ones. There was a correlation between the measures of the depressive group with high LEE and the measures of PERI. The correlation between the measure of attitude toward illness subscale of LEE and the total number of hospitalizations in the last two years in depressive group was statistically significant differences. Our findings indicate that, compatible with literature, schizophrenia is more sensitive to the subscales of intrusiveness and tolerance on LEE scale than depression. It has been shown that the subscale of attitude toward illness on LEE may be the indicator of prognosis in schizophrea. As for depression it may occur, show relapse and have a bad prognosis according to the life events and household criticisms.