Verbal and Nonverbal Correlates for Depression: A Review

Depression covers a substantial part of mental health problems worldwide. Currently, the occurrence of symptoms listed in DSM-IV is based on its diagnosis. However, there are also additional behavioral features distinguishing between depressed and healthy individuals that do not yet have the official status of symptoms. This article aims to provide a comprehensive literature overview of the distinctive characteristics of verbal and nonverbal behavior of depressed patients. Clinical psychology and psychiatry may benefit from the availability of better, more objective indicators of verbal and nonverbal functioning, which may be useful for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment evaluation.