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Association between movement synchrony and psychological pain in therapies with suicide attempters

Sedlinská, Marie Anna ; Ramseyer, Fabian Tobias ; Aschenbrenner, Lara Marie ; Scheidegger, Aysha Elena ; Frei, Adriana ; Walther, Sebastian ; Adorjan, Kristina and Gysin-Maillart, Anja LU (2025) In Psychotherapy Research
Abstract

Introduction: Psychological pain is a central risk factor for suicidal behaviour. Nonverbal synchrony between patients and therapists has been shown to facilitate the development of therapeutic alliance, which in turn is linked to symptom reduction. Building on these associations, the present study investigated whether movement synchrony in suicide-specific therapy exceeds random synchrony and whether it is associated with patients’ psychological pain. Method: A sample of 95 video recordings from therapy sessions of the Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP) were analysed using Motion Energy Analysis to assess synchrony in head and upper body movements. Psychological pain was assessed using the Suicide Status Form II... (More)

Introduction: Psychological pain is a central risk factor for suicidal behaviour. Nonverbal synchrony between patients and therapists has been shown to facilitate the development of therapeutic alliance, which in turn is linked to symptom reduction. Building on these associations, the present study investigated whether movement synchrony in suicide-specific therapy exceeds random synchrony and whether it is associated with patients’ psychological pain. Method: A sample of 95 video recordings from therapy sessions of the Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP) were analysed using Motion Energy Analysis to assess synchrony in head and upper body movements. Psychological pain was assessed using the Suicide Status Form II (SSF-II). Results: Genuine synchrony was significantly greater than pseudosynchrony t(110.16) = 4.314, p <.001, d = 0.49, 95% CI [0.005, 0.014], confirming the validity of the synchrony measurement. Additionally, movement synchrony was negatively correlated with psychological pain (r(84) = −.319, p =.003). This relationship remained significant after controlling for potential mediating factors (r(84) = −.302, p =.008). Conclusion: This study highlights the role of nonverbal synchrony in suicide-specific therapy, demonstrating that it exceeds random synchrony and is associated with lower levels of psychological pain.

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Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
in
Psychotherapy Research
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:105022833214
  • pmid:41284848
ISSN
1050-3307
DOI
10.1080/10503307.2025.2587693
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3182a2d1-82ae-44f5-819d-30daad736e63
date added to LUP
2026-02-05 13:39:58
date last changed
2026-02-06 03:00:02
@article{3182a2d1-82ae-44f5-819d-30daad736e63,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Psychological pain is a central risk factor for suicidal behaviour. Nonverbal synchrony between patients and therapists has been shown to facilitate the development of therapeutic alliance, which in turn is linked to symptom reduction. Building on these associations, the present study investigated whether movement synchrony in suicide-specific therapy exceeds random synchrony and whether it is associated with patients’ psychological pain. Method: A sample of 95 video recordings from therapy sessions of the Attempted Suicide Short Intervention Program (ASSIP) were analysed using Motion Energy Analysis to assess synchrony in head and upper body movements. Psychological pain was assessed using the Suicide Status Form II (SSF-II). Results: Genuine synchrony was significantly greater than pseudosynchrony t(110.16) = 4.314, p &lt;.001, d = 0.49, 95% CI [0.005, 0.014], confirming the validity of the synchrony measurement. Additionally, movement synchrony was negatively correlated with psychological pain (r(84) = −.319, p =.003). This relationship remained significant after controlling for potential mediating factors (r(84) = −.302, p =.008). Conclusion: This study highlights the role of nonverbal synchrony in suicide-specific therapy, demonstrating that it exceeds random synchrony and is associated with lower levels of psychological pain.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sedlinská, Marie Anna and Ramseyer, Fabian Tobias and Aschenbrenner, Lara Marie and Scheidegger, Aysha Elena and Frei, Adriana and Walther, Sebastian and Adorjan, Kristina and Gysin-Maillart, Anja}},
  issn         = {{1050-3307}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Psychotherapy Research}},
  title        = {{Association between movement synchrony and psychological pain in therapies with suicide attempters}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2025.2587693}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/10503307.2025.2587693}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}