[Uses and disturbing effect of videodocumentation of diagnostic interviews]

Videorecording of diagnostic interviews is reviewed with respect to its effects upon patient behaviour. If this behaviour is to be a model of the behaviour outside the diagnostic situation, videorecording should not essentially alter behaviour. It can be derived from psychological findings that due to the patient's necessary consent to videorecording, but also by the recording situation itself, patient behaviour is modified. The advantage of audiovision compared to audiorecording to reach a more objective judgement is limited by the very few possibilities of evaluation of nonverbal behaviour. Empirical studies comparing the relative effects of video- and audiorecording have shown that videorecording has more disturbing effects on patients. If these disturbances do have differential effects at certain problems and personality structures of patients using the artifacts of videorecording should be a possibility for the efficient employment of videorecording diagnostic interviews.