FACIAL AND OTHER NONVERBAL COMMUNICATIVE-BEHAVIOR IN CHRONIC-SCHIZOPHRENIA

Facial behaviour may be an important determinant in clinical ratings o f psychopathology. A standardized objective technique was used to quan tify measures of facial behaviour in 21 chronic schizophrenic subjects , in comparison with control groups of depressed, demented and Parkins onian subjects. Facial behaviours were counted and timed from video-re cordings of each subjects' face during a clinical interview. separate measurement of behaviours were obtained while subjects were speaking a nd silent. For most variables, the amount of facial behaviour was sign ificantly less in schizophrenic subjects than in control groups. The g roups differed significantly on a number of measures, but schizophreni cs could not be reliably identified by a single facial behaviour varia ble. However, using a discriminant function analysis with measures for eye contact while speaking and silent, broad smiles and small smiles, discrimination between groups was good, with over 80 % correctly clas sified as either schizophrenic, or not schizophrenic. These techniques may increase our understanding of psychopathological signs and the me chanisms that underly them.