Interplay of gaze behaviour and facial affectivity in schizophrenia

Abstract

Background: Some patients diagnosed with schizophrenia display reduced amounts of negative facial affectivity during mutual gaze in everyday conversations with non‐professionals.

Aims: The aim was to confirm this finding in clinical interviews.

Method: Thirty‐two video‐recorded clinical interviews were conducted with eight patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Selected sequences were coded for gaze behaviour and facial affective behaviour.

Results: During mutual gaze, the patients showed as much negative facial affectivity as expected by chance. Previous findings were not confirmed.

Conclusions: Findings suggests that the type of interview has importance for the facial affectivity in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia during mutual gaze.

Keywords:

• Schizophrenia
• affects
• gazing behaviour
• nonverbal
• video observation

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from: Örebro County Council; Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation; Lars Hiertas Minne Foundation and the Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet. The research project has been approved by the Committee of Ethics, Örebro County Council.