"flat affect was more common in men and was associated with worse current quality of life" as well as having "an adverse effect on course of illness".

The study also reported a "dissociation between reported experience of emotion and its display" - supporting the suggestion made elsewhere that "blunted affect, including flattened facial expressiveness and lack of vocal inflection ... often disguises an individual's true feelings." Thus, feelings may merely be unexpressed, rather than lacking. On the other hand, "a lack of emotions which