background Lack of similarity between the displayed levels of nonverbal involvement behaviour of depression-prone people to those of interviewers during a clinical interview predicts the onset and course of depression. We hypothesize that this relationship is explained by negative interpersonal events that result from lack of nonverbal similarity in the interactions of depression- prone people.
method From videotaped baseline interviews we registered the nonverbal involvement displays of 101 remitted depressed patients and of interviewers. The patients were followed up to two years.
results Lack of nonverbal similarity (cox regression: p=0,031) and interpersonal events (cox regression: p=0,001) predict recurrence of depression. Lack of similarity also predicts interpersonal events (cox regression: p=0,003). The events mediated the association between convergence and recurrence of depression.
conclusion The findings indicate that nonverbal communication underlies the stressful events that in turn provoke a (new) depressive episode.