Empirical studies on nonverbal communication in clinician-patient inte
raction are reviewed for both the psychotherapeutic and medical settin
gs. Nonverbal behavior is considered both as the consequence of antece
dent variables, such as individual or relationship characteristics, an
d as a predictor of clinical effectiveness and patient outcomes. The c
oncept of rapport is considered in relation to nonverbal behavior, bot
h theoretically and empirically. Also, the relevance of a patient's no
nverbal behavior to the diagnostic goals of the clinical visit is demo
nstrated by research on nonverbal cues to psychopathology, Type A/B pe
rsonality, and pain. Although the topic of nonverbal behavior and clin
ician-patient interaction has had a promising start, much research is
still needed, especially that which experimentally manipulates either
antecedent variables or nonverbal behavior itself to demonstrate cause
and effect relations.