Facial affective relationship offers of patients with panic disorder

Abstract

The psychodynamic of patients with panic disorder is most often characterized by a domination of autonomy-dependency conflicts, including an ambivalent need for a positive relationship toward a significant object and an incapacity to express negative feelings because of fear of losing this relationship. Affective facial behavior can be considered as a tool for relationship regulation. The authors investigated facial affective indicators of this conflict in 20 women with panic disorder in their first psychotherapy session. A preponderance of facial smile and a lack of negative affective facial signals were expected. This was not confirmed for the total sample. A cluster analysis identified two subgroups of panic patients. One subgroup confirmed the assumption precisely. The other did as well but only insofar as the patients smiled more often than was seen in a mixed clinical control group that excluded panic disorders. In addition, the panic patients of this cluster showed much negative affect. The patients of the two panic clusters did not differ in panic and other symptoms but did so in their descriptions of their interpersonal behavior.