Fibromyalgia and facial expression

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[Fibromyalgia and facial expression]

[Article in German]

Schmerz. 2004 Apr 6 [Epub ahead of print]

Bernardy K, Kirsch A.

Fachklinik fur Psychotherapeutische Medizin, Bliestal-Kliniken Blieskastel.

PMID: 15067526

QUESTION. Do female inpatients with fibromyalgia (FM) differ from healthy

women in their nonverbal affective behavior?

METHODS. The data culled from 15 interviews with female FM inpatients and

15 interviews with healthy women were analyzed and the analyses of facial

expression were subsequently correlated with gaze behavior.

RESULTS. FM patients exhibited neither a reduction of total activity of

facial expression nor of absolute frequency of primary affects in

comparison to healthy subjects who did (also in eye contact) however

exhibit a significantly higher proportion of " genuine joy " and lower

proportion of " contempt. "

CONCLUSION. The absence of reduced total activity of facial expression is

in contrast to the elaborate descriptions of symptoms provided by the

patients, but detailed analyses show that elements which stabilize

relationships are lacking and that dissociative elements are implanted in

the interactions.