Verbal and nonverbal responses to depressive symptomatology

Abstract

In an investigation of the verbal and nonverbal responses of nondepressed individuals to depression, twenty (20) female subjects were videotaped interacting for fifteen minutes with each of two confederates enacting depressed and nondepressed roles. The Beck Depression Inventory was used as a screening measure to obtain nondepressed subjects. Depressed confederates received significantly less Nonverbal Positive behavior than did nondepressed confederates (p. 01). However, the number of Direct Support/Verbal Positive statements given to the depressed-role confederates increased significantly across time of interaction (p. 01). Subjects exhibited significantly more nervous, "fidgety" behavior with depressed-role confederates than with nondepressed-role confederates. In the nondepressed condition, "fidget" behavior decreased during the time of interaction, while in the depressed condition "fidget" behavior increased across the time of interaction. Results were interpreted as evidence of overall withdrawal from interaction on the part of nondepressed "others", in response to "depressive displays", as predicted by Coyne's (1976a) interpersonal theory of depression.