A patient who is grimacing and wincing would be communicating in which of the following styles?

In this scenario, the patient is using their facial expressions and body language to convey feelings, specifically pain or discomfort. This form of communication relies on visual cues rather than words, which is the hallmark of nonverbal communication.

Patients often express their emotions and physical states through gestures, posture, and facial expressions, as these can often be more immediate and telling than verbal explanations. In the case of grimacing and wincing, these actions clearly indicate distress or discomfort, making it a strong example of nonverbal communication.

The other communication styles listed, such as affective (which pertains more to emotional expression in terms of how feelings are verbalized), intellectual (which involves logical reasoning and cognitive processes), and verbal (which involves the use of spoken or written words), do not directly capture the essence of what is being demonstrated by the patient's physical expressions.