The present study aims at analyzing the nonverbal affective behavior of female fibromyalgia (FM) inpatients in comparison to healthy women.
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.
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.
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.