Background: The present study aims at analyzing the nonverbal affective behavior of female fibromyalgia (FM) inpatients in comparison to healthy women. Methods: Videotaped psychodynamic interviews of each of 15 female FM inpatients and healthy women were analyzed. Afterwards the analyses of facial expression were related to gazing behavior and emotional experience. Results: FM patients exhibited neither a reduction in total activity of facial expression nor in absolute frequency of primary affects in comparison to healthy women, who, however, (also in eye contact) also exhibited a significantly higher proportion of ‘genuine joy’ and a lower one of ‘contempt’. No congruence between the patient’s emotional experience and affective expression was found. Conclusions: The absence of reduced total activity of facial expression is in contrast to the elaborate descriptions of complaints provided by the patients. Nevertheless, our detailed analysis shows a lack of elements that stabilize the relationship and the presence of dissociating elements in the interactions.

Keywords:
Affective behavior, Chronic pain, Emotional Facial Action Coding System, Fibromyalgia, Facial expression, Interaction patterns
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© 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel
2007
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