title: [Affective facial behavior of borderline patients during the Adult Attachment Projective].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study we investigated for the first time the facial activity of patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) compared to healthy controls during the Adult Attachment Projective (AAP). The AAP is a valid interview measure for assessing adult attachment representation. The attachment system is activated by eight attachment-related pictures. The subjects are asked to tell a story about each picture.
  
  
  METHODS
  The affective facial behavior during the AAP interview in 15 female patients with BPD and 14 healthy women was coded using EMFACS. Affective facial behavior was compared between diagnostic and attachment groups (resolved versus unresolved trauma).
  
  
  RESULTS
  As expected, there was a significantly higher number of BPD patients in the category "unresolved trauma" of the AAP. The BPD patients also showed significantly more disgust during the attachment task as compared to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The two main results are discussed in the context of frequent traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse and emotional neglect suffered by BPD patients through their attachment figures.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie der Universität Ulm. anna.buchheim@uni-ulm.de
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buchheim
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Liebl
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: Cord
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benecke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008016:Life Change Events; D009769:Object Attachment; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011386:Projective Techniques; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D014167:Transference, Psychology