How psychiatrist's communication skills and patient's diagnosis affect emotions disclosure during first diagnostic consultations

Highlights • The type and frequency of expressed emotions varies with patient diagnosis. • Patients with mood disorders talk more explicitly and more often about their feelings. • Half of explicit expressions of emotion were an elaboration of a previous cue/concern. • Only 18.2% of cues became an explicit expressions of emotion. • The provision of space by using active listening is essential to uncover patients emotions.