Gender differences in depression: an ethological study of nonverbal behavior during interviews

Previous studies of gender differences in the phenomenology of depression h ave focused mostly on symptoms as measured by self-report questionnaires or clinician-rated scales. In this study, we examined gender differences in t he interpersonal behavior of depressed patients by using ethological techni ques which involve direct observation of behavior. The nonverbal behavior o f 72 nondepressed volunteers and 68 patients with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of nonpsychotic unipolar depression was videorecorded during clinical intervie ws and scored according to an ethological scoring system including 37 behav ior patterns, mostly facial expressions and hand movements. Both male and f emale depressed patients showed a global restriction of nonverbal expressiv eness reflecting a tendency towards social withdrawal. Nonverbal expression of hostility was the only behavioral category on which depressed patients scored higher than nondepressed volunteers. Even though clinical status exe rted marked effects on the ethological profile, depression did not obscure some important differences in the nonverbal behavior of males and females. As a group, depressed women showed more socially interactive behaviors than depressed men. Their modality of interacting; included higher levels both of nonverbal hostility and of submissive and affiliative behaviors. These r esults are discussed in view of clinical data indicating a relationship bet ween gender, style of social interaction and response to antidepressant dru gs. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.