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Howe-Davies H, Manstead ASR, van Goozen SHM. Atypical Facial Expressivity in Young Children with Problematic Peer Relationships. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2024; 55:695-704. [PMID: 36163417 PMCID: PMC11061040 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-022-01445-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Peer problems are frequently associated with difficulties in recognizing and appraising the emotions of others. It has been argued that facial responsiveness to others' emotions-or motor empathy-is a precursor of emotion processing and affective empathy. Although mimicry impairments have been observed in studies of young people with conduct problems, to our knowledge no study has examined facial responsiveness to others' expressions in young children and examined how this relates to peer relationship problems. Four- to 7-year-old children (n = 91) with or without teacher-reported peer relationship problems (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire) viewed three dynamic film clips depicting a sad, happy, or scared child, while their spontaneous facial emotional responses were assessed using iMotions software that codes the movement of facial muscles. Children displayed facial expressivity that was congruent with the emotional expressions in the clips. Groups with and without peer problems did not differ in their responses to seeing a happy child. However, children with peer problems exhibited reduced or atypical facial emotional responses to the negative emotional clips. Decreased or atypical facial expressivity to negative emotions was also associated with severity of peer problems; atypical facial responsivity to sadness and reduced facial responsivity to fear predicted peer problems independently of one another. We conclude that reduced or atypical facial expressiveness in response to other children's dynamic facial expressions is associated with problematic peer relations in young children. The implications for early identification and interventions to support prosocial development are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stephanie H M van Goozen
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK.
- Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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2
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Garofalo C, Jones A, Nentjes L, Gillespie SM. Psychopathy and gaze cueing. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2024; 83:101936. [PMID: 38128274 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2023.101936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Psychopathic traits - and especially callous affective features - have been linked to altered processing of others' emotional expressions, and to reduced attention to the eyes. Despite the importance of gaze cueing (i.e., the tendency to orient attention toward where someone else is looking) for social functioning, few studies have investigated relationships between psychopathic traits and gaze cueing, and whether facial emotional expression influence these relationships, obtaining mixed results. To address this gap, the present study aimed to evaluate associations between psychopathic traits and gaze cueing for emotional and neutral expressions. METHODS 65 non-clinical male participants (Mage = 27.3 years) completed two self-report measures of psychopathy and performed laboratory tasks to assess gaze-cueing for emotional vs. neutral faces and an arrow-cueing task as a comparison. RESULTS Linear mixed models showed no significant associations of emotional (versus neutral) expressions, or psychopathy trait dimensions, with either gaze cueing or arrow cueing. LIMITATIONS Reliance on a convenience sample of non-clinical men, assessed with self-reports measures of psychopathy, and using static emotional stimuli limit the generalizability of our findings. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that psychopathic traits are not associated with individual differences in following others' gaze to direct attention, and that there was no advantage for affective relative to neutral expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Garofalo
- Department of Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, Italy.
| | - Andrew Jones
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moore's University, United Kingdom
| | - Lieke Nentjes
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Steven M Gillespie
- Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom
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3
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Paz Y, Perkins ER, Colins O, Perlstein S, Wagner NJ, Hawes SW, Byrd A, Viding E, Waller R. Evaluating the sensitivity to threat and affiliative reward (STAR) model in relation to the development of conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits across early adolescence. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024. [PMID: 38480986 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Sensitivity to Threat and Affiliative Reward (STAR) model proposes low threat sensitivity and low affiliation as risk factors for callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Preliminary evidence for the STAR model comes from work in early childhood. However, studies are needed that explore the STAR dimensions in late childhood and adolescence when severe conduct problems (CP) emerge. Moreover, it is unclear how variability across the full spectrum of threat sensitivity and affiliation gives rise to different forms of psychopathology beyond CU traits. METHODS The current study addressed these gaps using parent- and child-reported data from three waves and a sub-study of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study® of 11,878 youth (48% female; ages 9-12). RESULTS Consistent with the STAR model, low threat sensitivity and low affiliation were independently related to CU traits across informants and time. Moreover, there was significant interaction between the STAR dimensions, such that children with lower sensitivity to threat and lower affiliation had higher parent-reported CU traits. Unlike CU traits, children with higher threat sensitivity had higher parent-reported CP and anxiety. Finally, children with lower affiliation had higher parent-reported CP, anxiety, and depression. Results largely replicated across informants and time, and sensitivity analysis revealed similar findings in children with and without DSM-5 defined CP. CONCLUSIONS Results support the STAR model hypotheses as they pertain to CU traits and delineate threat sensitivity and affiliation as independent transdiagnostic risk factors for different types of psychopathology. Future research is needed to develop fuller and more reliable and valid measures of affiliation and threat sensitivity across multiple assessment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Paz
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emily R Perkins
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Olivier Colins
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Special Needs Education, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Samantha Perlstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Wagner
- Department of Brain and Psychological Science, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samuel W Hawes
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Amy Byrd
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PN, USA
| | - Essi Viding
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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4
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Kleine Deters R, Naaijen J, Holz NE, Banaschewski T, Schulze UME, Sethi A, Craig MC, Sagar-Ouriaghli I, Santosh P, Rosa M, Castro-Fornieles J, Penzol MJ, Arango C, Brandeis D, Franke B, Glennon JC, Buitelaar JK, Hoekstra PJ, Dietrich A. Emotion recognition profiles in clusters of youth based on levels of callous-unemotional traits and reactive and proactive aggression. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2023; 32:2415-2425. [PMID: 36127566 PMCID: PMC10682164 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-022-02079-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Youth with disruptive behavior showing high callous-unemotional (CU) traits and proactive aggression are often assumed to exhibit distinct impairments in emotion recognition from those showing mainly reactive aggression. Yet, reactive and proactive aggression and CU traits may co-occur to varying degrees across individuals. We aimed to investigate emotion recognition in more homogeneous clusters based on these three dimensions. In a sample of 243 youth (149 with disruptive behavior problems and 94 controls) aged 8-18 years, we used model-based clustering on self-report measures of CU traits and reactive and proactive aggression and compared the resulting clusters on emotion recognition (accuracy and response bias) and working memory. In addition to a Low and Low-Moderate symptom cluster, we identified two high CU clusters. The CU-Reactive cluster showed high reactive and low-to-medium proactive aggression; the CU-Mixed cluster showed high reactive and proactive aggression. Both CU clusters showed impaired fear recognition and working memory, whereas the CU-Reactive cluster also showed impaired recognition of disgust and sadness, partly explained by poor working memory, as well as a response bias for anger and happiness. Our results confirm the importance of CU traits as a core dimension along which youth with disruptive behavior may be characterized, yet challenge the view that high CU traits are closely linked to high proactive aggression per se. Notably, distinct neurocognitive processes may play a role in youth with high CU traits and reactive aggression with lower versus higher proactive aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee Kleine Deters
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
- Accare Child Study Center, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Jilly Naaijen
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nathalie E Holz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ulrike M E Schulze
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Arjun Sethi
- Department of Forensic & Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - Michael C Craig
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - Ilyas Sagar-Ouriaghli
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
| | - Paramala Santosh
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
- Centre for Interventional Paediatric Psychopharmacology and Rare Diseases (CIPPRD), National and Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Maudsley Hospital, London, UK
| | - Mireia Rosa
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Clínic Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josefina Castro-Fornieles
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Clínic Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, CIBERSAM, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, 2017SGR881, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María José Penzol
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón School of Medicine, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Celso Arango
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón School of Medicine, IiSGM, CIBERSAM, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Brandeis
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Franke
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey C Glennon
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Conway Institute for Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jan K Buitelaar
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter J Hoekstra
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Accare Child Study Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Dietrich
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Accare Child Study Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
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5
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Jansen JM. Mediating effects of impulsivity and alexithymia in the association between traumatic brain injury and aggression in incarcerated males. Aggress Behav 2023; 49:629-642. [PMID: 37405946 DOI: 10.1002/ab.22101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Studies suggest both alexithymia and impulsivity (partially) explain aggressive behavior in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, but none of these studies use both questionnaire and performance-based measures as recommended, nor simultaneously investigate both impulsivity and alexithymia. The available studies therefore likely miss part of the constructs of alexithymia and impulsivity, and do not comprehensively assess the mediating effects of both constructs in the relationship between TBI and aggression. A sample of N = 281 incarcerated individuals were recruited from Dutch penitentiary institutions, and completed the Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire (aggression), BIS-11 (impulsivity) and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (alexithymia) questionnaires, as well as a stop-signal task and an emotion recognition paradigm. Several multiple mediation analyses were conducted using structural equation modelling, to assess the viability of a causal theoretical model of aggression. The final planned models were the original models with a good fit with the data (comparative fit index > 0.95, root mean square error of approximation and Standardized root mean square residual < 0.05), and results indicate that only questionnaire-based impulsivity mediated the relationship between TBI and aggression. TBI was unrelated to alexithymia, stop-signal or emotion recognition performance. Aggression was predicted by both alexithymia and impulsivity, but not by the performance measures. Post hoc analyses shows that alexithymia moderates the relationship between impulsivity and aggression. These results imply that aggressive incarcerated individuals showing impulsive behavior should be screened for TBI, since TBI is often overlooked or misdiagnosed, and indicate that both impulsivity and alexithymia are potential focus points for aggression reduction treatment in TBI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochem M Jansen
- Institute for Criminal Law & Criminology, Faculty of Law, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Arkin, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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6
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Swaab H, Meynen G. Introduction: On brain and crime. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 197:3-9. [PMID: 37633716 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821375-9.00018-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Crime is a complex phenomenon involving many factors, among which are situational and societal factors. What counts as a crime may also vary across space and time. Often, it is the interplay of several factors that may lead to criminal behavior. Scientifically, brain function is important to consider, first of all because the brain is central to behavior as such, including criminal behavior. Second, because there is increasing evidence for the relevance of specific brain dysfunctions in some criminal behavior, particularly developmental findings related to nonadaptive behavior. Many of our behavioral tendencies are rooted in our childhood (experiences), and this, it appears, is also, at least to some extent, true for nonadaptive behavior. This chapter considers several overarching issues regarding the relationship between-and the science of-brain and crime, some from a conceptual, some from a legal, and others from a developmental perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Swaab
- Department of Clinical Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences & Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Gerben Meynen
- Willem Pompe Institute for Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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7
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Tonnaer F, van Zutphen L, Raine A, Cima M. Amygdala connectivity and aggression. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 197:87-106. [PMID: 37633721 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821375-9.00002-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Neurobiological models propose that reactive aggression is predicated on impairments in amygdala-prefrontal connectivity that subserves moral decision-making and emotion regulation. The amygdala is a key component within this neural network that modulates reactive aggression. We provide a review of amygdala dysfunctional brain networks leading to reactive aggressive behavior. We elaborate on key concepts, focusing on moral decision-making and emotion regulation in a developmental context, and brain network connectivity factors relating to amygdala (dys)function-factors which we suggest predispose to reactive aggression. We additionally discuss insights into the latest treatment interventions, providing the utilization of the scientific findings for practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franca Tonnaer
- Department of Research, Ventio Crime Prevention Science Institute, Rijckholt, The Netherlands
| | - Linda van Zutphen
- Department of Conditions for LifeLong Learning, Educational Sciences, Open University, Heerlen, The Netherlands
| | - Adrian Raine
- Department of Criminology, Richard Perry University, Berkeley, CA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Maaike Cima
- Department of Research, Ventio Crime Prevention Science Institute, Rijckholt, The Netherlands; Department of Developmental Psychopathology, Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Research, VIGO Groep, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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8
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Li F, Li X, Kou H. Emotional Recognition Training Enhances Attention to Emotional Stimuli Among Male Juvenile Delinquents. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2023; 16:575-586. [PMID: 36883045 PMCID: PMC9985883 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s403512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Juvenile delinquents have deficits in emotional recognition that might play a critical role in the development of aggression. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of emotional recognition training and its consequences on emotional attention and aggression. Methods Seventy-three male juvenile delinquents were randomly assigned to two groups. One group was the modification group, which received eight days of training on an emotional recognition task. The purpose of the training was to modify interpretative biases in emotion recognition to encourage the perception of happiness over anger in ambiguous expressions. The other group was the waitlist group, which did not perform a task and continued with their usual programme. Before and after the training, participants completed the aggression questionnaire (AQ) and two behavioural tasks, including the emotional recognition task and a visual search task with happy and angry faces as targets. Results The modification group recognized more faces as happy after emotional recognition training than the waitlist group. Furthermore, the hostility in the modification group decreased significantly. Importantly, emotional recognition training further affected attention to emotional faces as participants responded faster in searching for happy and angry faces after training. Conclusion Emotional recognition training could modify juvenile delinquents' emotional recognition, enhance their visual attention to emotional faces and reduce hostility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangmin Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Li
- Research Center of Humanities and Medicine in School of Management, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Kou
- Research Center of Humanities and Medicine in School of Management, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
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Daughters K, Rees DA, Hunnikin L, Wells A, Hall J, van Goozen S. Oxytocin administration versus emotion training in healthy males: considerations for future research. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210056. [PMID: 35858104 PMCID: PMC9272145 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying emotions correctly is essential for successful social interaction. There is therefore a keen interest in designing therapeutic interventions to improve emotion recognition in individuals who struggle with social interaction. The neuropeptide oxytocin has been proposed as a potential physiological intervention due to its important role in emotion recognition and other aspects of social cognition. However, there are a number of caveats to consider with the current form of intranasal oxytocin commonly used in the literature. Psychological interventions, on the other hand, do not carry the same caveats, and there is, therefore, a need to understand how intranasal oxytocin administration compares to psychological interventions designed to target the same psychological phenomena; and whether a combined intervention approach may provide additive benefits. Here we present a pilot, proof-of-concept study in healthy volunteers comparing the effect of intranasal oxytocin against a validated emotion training programme, finding that the psychological intervention, and not intranasal oxytocin, improved emotion recognition specifically for angry expressions. We discuss the theoretical implications of the research for future clinical trials. This article is part of the theme issue 'Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Daughters
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - D Aled Rees
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Laura Hunnikin
- Centre for Human Developmental Science, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Amy Wells
- Centre for Human Developmental Science, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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Krakowski MI, Tural U, Czobor P. Separate pathways to violent behavior in schizophrenia and in the general population. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 151:235-241. [PMID: 35500451 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Violence in schizophrenia is best investigated within the broader context of violent behavior in the general population. Two important domains of general pathology which allow us to take such an approach include impairment in emotion processing, as manifested by faulty facial emotion recognition, and aggressive reactivity which consists of heightened sensitivity to provocation. To test this approach, we included 135 subjects: 38 violent (VS's) and 33 nonviolent patients with schizophrenia, 32 healthy controls and 32 non-psychotic violent subjects (NPV's). We measured violence with the Life History of Aggression Scale, recognition of facial emotions with the Emotion Recognition Task, and aggressive reactivity through the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Adolescent antisocial behavior was evaluated as a potential precursor to these deficits. We found that impairment in fear recognition (IFR) and aggressive reactivity have a significant effect on violence in the violent groups. These two impairments interact in different ways in these groups. In NPV's they contribute in an additive fashion to violence, whereas in VS's they represent separate pathways; aggressive reactivity leads to violence only when there is no IFR. Adolescent antisocial behavior has a differential effect on these 2 impairments in the 2 groups. Thus, these findings provide insights on the differential role of IFR and aggressive reactivity for violence in schizophrenia compared to the general population. In NPV's, both dysfunctions represent antisocial features and contribute jointly to violence. In schizophrenia, they have different etiologies and constitute alternative pathways to violence. This has important implications for the conceptualization and treatment of violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menahem I Krakowski
- The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA; New York University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Umit Tural
- The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA.
| | - Pal Czobor
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University Budapest, Hungary Dept. of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University. Balassa Str. 6. 1083 Budapest, Hungary.
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11
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Psychopathic traits and emotion processing in a clinical sample of children with disruptive behavior disorder. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03138-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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12
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van Goozen SHM, Langley K, Hobson CW. Childhood Antisocial Behavior: A Neurodevelopmental Problem. Annu Rev Psychol 2021; 73:353-377. [PMID: 34587779 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-052621-045243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Early-onset disruptive, aggressive, and antisocial behavior is persistent, can become increasingly serious as children grow older, and is difficult to change. In 2007, our group proposed a theoretical model highlighting the interplay between neurobiological deficits and cognitive and emotional functioning as mediators of the link between genetic influences and early social adversity, on the one hand, and antisocial behavioral problems in childhood, on the other. In this article, we review the post-2007 evidence relevant to this model. We discuss research on genetics/epigenetics, stress/arousal regulation, and emotion and executive functioning in support of the argument that antisocial children, especially those who persist in engaging in antisocial behavior as they grow older, have a range of neuropsychological characteristics that are important in explaining individual differences in the severity and persistence of antisocial behavior. Current clinical practice tends not to acknowledge these individual neuropsychological risks factors or to target them for intervention. We argue that aggressive and disruptive behavior in childhood should be regarded as a neurodevelopmental problem and that intervening at the level of mediating neuropsychological processes represents a promising way forward in tackling these serious behavioral problems. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Psychology, Volume 73 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie H M van Goozen
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom; .,Department of Clinical Neurodevelopmental Studies, Leiden University, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Kate Langley
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom;
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13
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Döllinger L, Laukka P, Högman LB, Bänziger T, Makower I, Fischer H, Hau S. Training Emotion Recognition Accuracy: Results for Multimodal Expressions and Facial Micro Expressions. Front Psychol 2021; 12:708867. [PMID: 34475841 PMCID: PMC8406528 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.708867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonverbal emotion recognition accuracy (ERA) is a central feature of successful communication and interaction, and is of importance for many professions. We developed and evaluated two ERA training programs-one focusing on dynamic multimodal expressions (audio, video, audio-video) and one focusing on facial micro expressions. Sixty-seven subjects were randomized to one of two experimental groups (multimodal, micro expression) or an active control group (emotional working memory task). Participants trained once weekly with a brief computerized training program for three consecutive weeks. Pre-post outcome measures consisted of a multimodal ERA task, a micro expression recognition task, and a task about patients' emotional cues. Post measurement took place approximately a week after the last training session. Non-parametric mixed analyses of variance using the Aligned Rank Transform were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the training programs. Results showed that multimodal training was significantly more effective in improving multimodal ERA compared to micro expression training or the control training; and the micro expression training was significantly more effective in improving micro expression ERA compared to the other two training conditions. Both pre-post effects can be interpreted as large. No group differences were found for the outcome measure about recognizing patients' emotion cues. There were no transfer effects of the training programs, meaning that participants only improved significantly for the specific facet of ERA that they had trained on. Further, low baseline ERA was associated with larger ERA improvements. Results are discussed with regard to methodological and conceptual aspects, and practical implications and future directions are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian Döllinger
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Petri Laukka
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lennart Björn Högman
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tanja Bänziger
- Department of Psychology and Social Work, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden
| | | | - Håkan Fischer
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stephan Hau
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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14
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Yilar S, Tasdemir I, Koska B, Belen E, Cetinkaya B, Baltaci I, Demirkundak B, Cinar M, Gultekin G, Atas A, Emul M. Facial and Auditory Recognition Abilities of Implanted Primary Schoolers. Audiol Neurootol 2021; 27:133-138. [PMID: 34380141 DOI: 10.1159/000517833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Emotions are often conveyed via visual and together with the auditory mode in social interaction. We aimed to investigate the ability to recognize facial and/or auditory emotions in school-aged children with cochlear implantation and healthy controls. METHODS All participants were asked to respond to facial emotions of Ekman and Friesen's pictures, then auditory emotions, and last, they were asked to respond to video-based dynamic synchronous facial and auditory emotions. RESULTS The mean accuracy rates in recognizing anger (p = 0.025), surprise (p = 0.029), and neutral (p = 0.029) faces were significantly worse in children with cochlear implants (CIs) than in healthy controls. They were significantly worse than healthy controls in recognizing all auditory emotions except auditory emotion of fear (p = 0.067). The mean accuracy rates in recognizing video-based auditory/facial emotions of surprise (p = 0.031) and neutral (p = 0.029) emotions were significantly worse in children with CIs. CONCLUSION The children with hearing loss were poorer in recognizing surprise, anger, and neutral facial emotions than healthy children; they had similar performance in recognizing anger emotions when both stimuli were given synchronously which may have a positive effect on social behaviors. It seems beneficial that emotion recognition training should be included in rehabilitation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selma Yilar
- Department of Audiology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ilknur Tasdemir
- Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Betul Koska
- Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Esra Belen
- Private Centrium Ear Nose Throat and Plastic Surgery Medical Center, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Buse Cetinkaya
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Isik Baltaci
- Department of Audiology, Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Merve Cinar
- Department of Audiology, Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gokce Gultekin
- Department of Audiology, Uskudar University Faculty of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Atas
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Murat Emul
- Pedamed Private Mental Health Outpatient Clinics, Istanbul, Turkey
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15
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Dickerson KL, Quas JA. Emotional awareness, empathy, and generosity in high-risk youths. J Exp Child Psychol 2021; 208:105151. [PMID: 33892296 PMCID: PMC8218817 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Although maltreatment places youths at risk for substantial deficits in prosociality, effective methods of improving these deficits have yet to be identified. The current investigation tested whether prosociality could be enhanced in maltreated youths by increasing their awareness of others' sadness. Maltreated youths (n = 145) and matched community youths (n = 106) aged 6-17 years completed a sharing task within which labels about a peer's emotions (sad vs. neutral) were experimentally manipulated. Youths who received the sad emotion label about a peer's feelings showed greater empathic concern, and in turn generosity, toward that peer than youths who received the neutral label. Findings offer new insight into potential methods of improving prosocial responding in youths and thus provide direction for intervention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli L Dickerson
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Jodi A Quas
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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16
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Neuroanatomy of complex social emotion dysregulation in adolescent offenders. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:1083-1100. [PMID: 33973160 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00903-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Social emotions require the correct integration of emotional, cognitive, and social processes and are critical for complex social interactions. Adolescent criminal offenders (AOs) show abnormalities in the experience of basic emotions. However, most research has focused solely on basic emotions, neglecting complex social emotions that could be critical for social reintegration. The purpose of this study was to investigate the behavioral and neural correlates of social emotions (envy and Schadenfreude) in AOs. We explored the experience of complex social emotions, as well as their anatomical correlates, in AOs (n = 19) and a nonoffenders control group (NOs, n = 20). Additionally, we assessed the relationship between social emotions, executive functions (EFs), and fluid intelligence (FI). Structural brain imaging was obtained in all participants. The results showed that AOs had significantly lower envy and Schadenfreude ratings and exhibited lower performance in EFs compared with NOs. The measurement of EFs relied on the INECO frontal screening (IFS). Experiencing fewer social emotions was associated with diminished EFs but not with FI. Moreover, in AOs, reduced levels of envy and Schadenfreude were linked with reduced gray matter volumes in regions subserving mentalizing abilities (inferior parietal lobe and precuneus) and socioemotional processing (inferior and middle temporal regions), as well as key hubs of the executive frontoparietal network (inferior parietal lobule, orbital and rectus gyri). Additional analysis on the AOs revealed no associations between the type of crime and our variables of interest (EFs, FI and social emotions). Our findings are the first to provide evidence on abnormalities in the experience of social emotions in AOs that are associated with neurocognitive markers of social cognition and EFs. Understanding social emotions and their abnormalities (under-experience) as complex intertwined processes may have important future translational implications, including risk prediction for social adaptation/reintegration, sociocognitive targeted interventions, and skill training for social emotions in vulnerable populations.
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17
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Mallion JS, Wood JL. Comparison of Emotional Dispositions Between Street Gang and Non-Gang Prisoners. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2021; 36:4018-4038. [PMID: 30019991 DOI: 10.1177/0886260518789147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Effectively recognizing, identifying, and utilizing emotional stimuli is essential for successful social interactions, with deficits in these robustly identified as risk factors for offending. Psychological understanding of street gang membership is limited, particularly surrounding emotional dispositions distinguishing street gang from non-gang offenders. This study examined how street gang members compare with non-gang offenders on trait emotional intelligence (TEI), antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), callous-unemotional traits, anger rumination, and aggression. Recruited through volunteer sampling, participants included 73 (44 street gang and 29 non-gang) male offenders incarcerated at a U.K. Category C prison. Participants completed seven questionnaires assessing emotional dispositions, social desirability, and, consistent with the Eurogang definition, street gang membership. To compare participants' demographics and identify the predictors of street gang membership, chi-square and discriminant function analyses were conducted. With a significant discriminant function, Λ = .80, χ2(6) = 14.96, p = .021, high levels of ASPD, anger rumination, and aggression and low levels of TEI predict street gang membership. Compared with non-gang prisoners, street gang prisoners did not differ on callous-unemotional traits, age, or ethnicity. Results suggest that, compared with non-gang prisoners, street gang members were more likely to possess dysfunctional emotional dispositions. Findings from this research have important implications in terms of developing interventions for street gang membership. Specifically, this research supports the need for gang-specific early intervention and prevention programs, with emotion-focused components. Ideas for future research are discussed, including the identification of further sociocognitive, personality, and emotional traits distinguishing street gang from non-gang offenders.
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18
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Negative parental emotional environment increases the association between childhood behavioral problems and impaired recognition of negative facial expressions. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 34:936-945. [PMID: 33926601 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420002072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Impaired facial emotion recognition is a transdiagnostic risk factor for a range of psychiatric disorders. Childhood behavioral difficulties and parental emotional environment have been independently associated with impaired emotion recognition; however, no study has examined the contribution of these factors in conjunction. We measured recognition of negative (sad, fear, anger), neutral, and happy facial expressions in 135 children aged 5-7 years referred by their teachers for behavioral problems. Parental emotional environment was assessed for parental expressed emotion (EE) - characterized by negative comments, reduced positive comments, low warmth, and negativity towards their child - using the 5-minute speech sample. Child behavioral problems were measured using the teacher-informant Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Child behavioral problems and parental EE were independently associated with impaired recognition of negative facial expressions specifically. An interactive effect revealed that the combination of both factors was associated with the greatest risk for impaired recognition of negative faces, and in particular sad facial expressions. No relationships emerged for the identification of happy facial expressions. This study furthers our understanding of multidimensional processes associated with the development of facial emotion recognition and supports the importance of early interventions that target this domain.
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19
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Clifford ME, Nguyen AJ, Bradshaw CP. Emotion processing associated with aggression in early adolescents: A focus on affective theory of mind. Aggress Behav 2021; 47:173-182. [PMID: 33275293 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Social-emotional factors associated with youth aggression have largely been studied in the context of social information-processing models. The ability to accurately encode and appropriately interpret others' emotions has yet to be fully examined in the context of aggressive behavior, particularly during adolescence. Using cross-sectional data from a sample of 282 at-risk early adolescents, the present study examined associations between teacher-reported aggression and youth performance on a task assessing two components of affective theory of mind: emotion recognition and situational attribution. Results indicated that emotion recognition, but not situational attribution accuracy, was significantly associated with teacher-reported aggressive behavior. Over-recognizing anger and under-recognizing sadness were unique error patterns associated with aggression, and these associations remained significant after controlling for demographics and other key social information-processing variables. Findings suggest that difficulties with emotion processing play an important role in the social information-processing patterns observed in the context of youth aggression. Implications for preventive interventions for youth at risk of engaging in aggressive behavior are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan E. Clifford
- School of Education and Human Development University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia USA
| | - Amanda J. Nguyen
- School of Education and Human Development University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia USA
| | - Catherine P. Bradshaw
- School of Education and Human Development University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia USA
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20
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Can facial emotion recognition be rapidly improved in children with disruptive behavior? A targeted and preventative early intervention study. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 34:85-93. [PMID: 33432899 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
An impairment in recognizing distress is implicated in the development and severity of antisocial behavior. It has been hypothesized that a lack of attention to the eyes plays a role, but supporting evidence is limited. We developed a computerized training to improve emotion recognition in children and examined the role of eye gaze before and after training. Children referred into an intervention program to prevent antisocial outcomes completed an emotion recognition task with concurrent eye tracking. Those with emotion recognition impairments (n = 54, mean age: 8.72 years, 78% male) completed the training, while others (n = 38, mean age: 8.95 years, 84% male) continued with their usual interventions. Emotion recognition and eye gaze were reassessed in all children 8 weeks later. Impaired negative emotion recognition was significantly related to severity of behavioral problems at pretest. Children who completed the training significantly improved in emotion recognition; eye gaze did not contribute to impairment or improvement in emotion recognition. This study confirms the role of emotion recognition in severity of disruptive behavior and shows that a targeted intervention can quickly improve emotion impairments. The training works by improving children's ability to appraise emotional stimuli rather than by influencing their visual attention.
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21
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Improving emotion recognition is associated with subsequent mental health and well-being in children with severe behavioural problems. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 30:1769-1777. [PMID: 32997168 PMCID: PMC8558267 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-020-01652-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Impaired emotion recognition is a transdiagnostic risk factor for a range of psychiatric disorders. It has been argued that improving emotion recognition may lead to improvements in behaviour and mental health, but supportive evidence is limited. We assessed emotion recognition and mental health following a brief and targeted computerised emotion recognition training in children referred into an intervention program because of severe family adversity and behavioural problems (n = 62; aged 7-10). While all children continued to receive their usual interventions, only children impaired in emotion recognition (n = 40) received the emotion training. Teachers blind to whether or not children had received the training rated children's mental health problems before and 6 months after the training. Participants who received the emotion training significantly improved their recognition of negative and neutral facial expressions. Although both groups showed improved behaviour at follow-up, the reduction in behavioural problems was only significant in children who received the emotion training. Post-training emotion recognition scores predicted mental health problems 6 months later independently of initial emotion recognition ability and severity of behavioural problems. The results are consistent with the view that targeting emotion recognition can improve longer term functioning in individuals with disruptive behaviour, although further research using fully randomised designs is needed before causal conclusions can be drawn with confidence.
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22
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Menks WM, Fehlbaum LV, Borbás R, Sterzer P, Stadler C, Raschle NM. Eye gaze patterns and functional brain responses during emotional face processing in adolescents with conduct disorder. Neuroimage Clin 2020; 29:102519. [PMID: 33316763 PMCID: PMC7735971 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conduct disorder (CD) is characterized by severe aggressive and antisocial behavior. Initial evidence suggests neural deficits and aberrant eye gaze pattern during emotion processing in CD; both concepts, however, have not yet been studied simultaneously. The present study assessed the functional brain correlates of emotional face processing with and without consideration of concurrent eye gaze behavior in adolescents with CD compared to typically developing (TD) adolescents. METHODS 58 adolescents (23CD/35TD; average age = 16 years/range = 14-19 years) underwent an implicit emotional face processing task. Neuroimaging analyses were conducted for a priori-defined regions of interest (insula, amygdala, and medial orbitofrontal cortex) and using a full-factorial design assessing the main effects of emotion (neutral, anger, fear), group and the interaction thereof (cluster-level, p < .05 FWE-corrected) with and without consideration of concurrent eye gaze behavior (i.e., time spent on the eye region). RESULTS Adolescents with CD showed significant hypo-activations during emotional face processing in right anterior insula compared to TD adolescents, independent of the emotion presented. In-scanner eye-tracking data revealed that adolescents with CD spent significantly less time on the eye, but not mouth region. Correcting for eye gaze behavior during emotional face processing reduced group differences previously observed for right insula. CONCLUSIONS Atypical insula activation during emotional face processing in adolescents with CD may partly be explained by attentional mechanisms (i.e., reduced gaze allocation to the eyes, independent of the emotion presented). An increased understanding of the mechanism causal for emotion processing deficits observed in CD may ultimately aid the development of personalized intervention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willeke Martine Menks
- Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lynn Valérie Fehlbaum
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development at the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Réka Borbás
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development at the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Sterzer
- Department of Psychiatry, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christina Stadler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nora Maria Raschle
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development at the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Clark CB, Armstrong J, Ballout MH, Ewy R. Examining the link between facial affect recognition and violent offending: A comparison between web-recruited volunteers with histories of violent and non-violent offending. CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH : CBMH 2020; 30:228-239. [PMID: 32744391 DOI: 10.1002/cbm.2164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The link between facial affect recognition and criminal justice involvement has been extensively researched, yet there are virtually no data on the capacity for facial affect recognition in post-incar+cerated individuals, and the results of many studies are limited due to a narrow focus on psychopathy rather than offence category. AIMS To test the first hypothesis that individuals reporting a history of a violent offence would show a deficit in facial affect recognition and the second hypothesis that the violent offender's deficit would be exclusive to recognition of negative expressions, not affecting positive or neutral expressions. METHOD Post-incarcerated individuals (N = 298) were recruited online through Qualtrics and completed questionnaires assessing their criminal justice background and demographics. They completed measures of facial affect recognition, anxiety and depression, and components of aggression. RESULTS A logistic regression, including sex, ethnicity, age and years of education and depression/anxiety scores, indicated that committing a violent offence was independently associated with lower facial affect recognition scores as well as male gender and a trait-based propensity towards physical aggression, but no other co-variable. These data provided no evidence that this deficit was specific to negative emotions. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH/PRACTICE Our study is one of the first to examine facial affect recognition in a post-incarcerated sample. It suggests that deficits in facial affect recognition, already well documented among violent prisoners, persist. While acknowledging that these may be relatively fixed characteristics, this study also suggests that, for these people, nothing happening during their imprisonment was touching this. Improving capacity in facial affect recognition should be considered as a target of intervention for violent offenders, developing or revising in-prison programmes as required.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Brendan Clark
- Department of Psychology, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas, USA
| | - Jacob Armstrong
- Department of Psychology, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas, USA
| | | | - Ryley Ewy
- Department of Psychology, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas, USA
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Kyranides MN, Fanti KA, Petridou M, Kimonis ER. In the eyes of the beholder: investigating the effect of visual probing on accuracy and gaze fixations when attending to facial expressions among primary and secondary callous-unemotional variants. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 29:1441-1451. [PMID: 31811576 PMCID: PMC7501133 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-019-01452-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with callous-unemotional (CU) traits show deficits in facial emotion recognition. According to preliminary research, this impairment may be due to attentional neglect to peoples' eyes when evaluating emotionally expressive faces. However, it is unknown whether this atypical processing pattern is unique to established variants of CU traits or modifiable with intervention. This study examined facial affect recognition and gaze patterns among individuals (N = 80; M age = 19.95, SD = 1.01 years; 50% female) with primary vs secondary CU variants. These groups were identified based on repeated measurements of conduct problems, CU traits, and anxiety assessed in adolescence and adulthood. Accuracy and number of fixations on areas of interest (forehead, eyes, and mouth) while viewing six dynamic emotions were assessed. A visual probe was used to direct attention to various parts of the face. Individuals with primary and secondary CU traits were less accurate than controls in recognizing facial expressions across all emotions. Those identified in the low-anxious primary-CU group showed reduced overall fixations to fearful and painful facial expressions compared to those in the high-anxious secondary-CU group. This difference was not specific to a region of the face (i.e. eyes or mouth). Findings point to the importance of investigating both accuracy and eye gaze fixations, since individuals in the primary and secondary groups were only differentiated in the way they attended to specific facial expression. These findings have implications for differentiated interventions focused on improving facial emotion recognition with regard to attending and correctly identifying emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Nicole Kyranides
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, Medical School (Doorway 6), University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG United Kingdom
| | - Kostas A. Fanti
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Maria Petridou
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Eva R. Kimonis
- Department of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Cooper S, Hobson CW, van Goozen SH. Facial emotion recognition in children with externalising behaviours: A systematic review. Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020; 25:1068-1085. [PMID: 32713184 DOI: 10.1177/1359104520945390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Difficulties in facial emotion recognition (FER) are associated with a range of mental health and antisocial presentations in adolescents and adults. Externalising behaviours in children are often one of the earliest signs of risk for the development of such difficulties. This article systematically reviews the evidence (from both group and correlational studies) for whether there is a relationship between FER and externalising behaviours in pre-adolescent children (aged 12 and under), both across and within externalising behaviour domains (hyperactivity, conduct problems, callous-unemotional traits, and aggression). Four electronic databases were searched producing 1,296 articles. Articles were included if they used validated measures of FER and externalising behaviours. Sixteen articles met criteria for inclusion in the review. Overall, the results suggested FER problems are present in ADHD, CP and callous-unemotional presentations, and in samples of children with higher levels of externalising problems rather than in community samples. However, there was no consistent evidence for specific emotions being implicated in the studies reviewed. Clinically, the findings suggest that FER difficulties are commonly associated with externalising behaviours, and hence this review offers some support that FER deficits could be a relevant target of intervention for externalising behaviours. However, more longitudinal studies are required, that control for other variables that might underlie FER difficulties (e.g. IQ or basic Theory of Mind abilities), to inform our knowledge of whether FER difficulties are a causal factor in externalising behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Cooper
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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26
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Affiliation(s)
- Hedwig Eisenbarth
- School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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27
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Dickerson KL, Skeem JL, Montoya L, Quas JA. Using Positive Emotion Training With Maltreated Youths to Reduce Anger Bias and Physical Aggression. Clin Psychol Sci 2020; 8:773-787. [PMID: 34136312 PMCID: PMC8204906 DOI: 10.1177/2167702620902118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Maltreated youths often overinterpret anger in others' emotional expressions, particularly expressions that are ambiguous, and this "anger bias" is associated with aggressive behavior. In the current experiment, we tested the effect of an emotion-training intervention on anger bias and subsequent aggression. Eighty-four youths, ages 8 to 17, who had been removed from home because of maltreatment and had screened positive for aggressive tendencies, served as participants. Over 4 days, youths completed positive emotion training, a computerized program in which youths classify emotional expressions. Youths in the treatment condition received feedback to encourage their recognition of happiness over anger in ambiguous expressions. Physical aggression up to 1 week posttraining was assessed on the basis of self- and staff reports. The intervention was effective in reducing youths' anger bias and somewhat so in reducing aggression-the latter of-which occurred infrequently, limiting power. Results offer direction for developmental research and cost-effective interventions for maltreated youths at risk for aggression and future justice-system involvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli L. Dickerson
- Department of Psychological Science, School of Social
Ecology, University of California, Irvine
| | - Jennifer L. Skeem
- School of Social Welfare, University of California,
Berkeley
- Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California,
Berkeley
| | - Lina Montoya
- Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health,
University of California, Berkeley
| | - Jodi A. Quas
- Department of Psychological Science, School of Social
Ecology, University of California, Irvine
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Wells AE, Hunnikin LM, Ash DP, van Goozen SHM. Low Self-Esteem and Impairments in Emotion Recognition Predict Behavioural Problems in Children. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-020-09814-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Research indicates that low self-esteem and impaired emotion recognition are risk factors for antisocial behaviour (ASB). Self-esteem and emotion recognition are essential for successful social interaction and previous research suggests that self-esteem and emotional intelligence are positively related. However, to our knowledge the relationship between these two risk factors for ASB has not been explored in children with behavioural problems. Thus, this study investigated self-esteem and emotion recognition, their relationship with one another and with behavioural problem severity. Participants were 8–11 year olds with behavioural problems (BP; n = 78) who were taking part in an early intervention program, and typically developing controls (TD; n = 54). Participants completed a self-esteem questionnaire and a computerised emotion recognition task. Teachers and parents rated children’s emotional and behavioural problems. BP participants had significantly lower self-esteem and exhibited an impairment in emotion recognition. Self-esteem and emotion recognition were positively related and inversely associated with behavioural problem severity and they predicted behaviour problems independently of one another. This is the first study to show that self-esteem and emotion recognition are related processes in children with behavioural problems and that both predict behavioural problems. This has important implications for the development of intervention strategies.
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Kohls G, Baumann S, Gundlach M, Scharke W, Bernhard A, Martinelli A, Ackermann K, Kersten L, Prätzlich M, Oldenhof H, Jansen L, van den Boogaard L, Smaragdi A, Gonzalez-Madruga K, Cornwell H, Rogers JC, Pauli R, Clanton R, Baker R, Bigorra A, Kerexeta-Lizeaga I, Sesma-Pardo E, Aguirregomoscorta-Menéndez F, Siklósi R, Dochnal R, Kalogerakis Z, Pirlympou M, Papadakos L, Dikeos D, Hervas A, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Fernández-Rivas A, Popma A, Stadler C, De Brito SA, Blair JR, Freitag CM, Fairchild G, Konrad K. Investigating Sex Differences in Emotion Recognition, Learning, and Regulation Among Youths With Conduct Disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 59:263-273. [PMID: 31026574 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Conduct disorder (CD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder marked by notably higher prevalence rates for boys than girls. Converging evidence suggests that CD is associated with impairments in emotion recognition, learning, and regulation. However, it is not known whether there are sex differences in the relationship between CD and emotion dysfunction. Prior studies on emotion functioning in CD have so far been underpowered for investigating sex differences. Therefore, our primary aim was to characterize emotion processing skills in a large sample of girls and boys with CD compared to typically developing controls (TDCs) using a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. METHOD We included 542 youths with CD (317 girls) and 710 TDCs (479 girls), 9 to 18 years of age, from a European multisite study (FemNAT-CD). Participants completed three experimental tasks assessing emotion recognition, learning, and regulation, respectively. Data were analyzed to test for effects of group and sex, and group-by-sex interactions, while controlling for potentially confounding factors. RESULTS Relative to TDCs, youths with CD showed impaired emotion recognition (that was related to more physical and proactive aggression, and higher CU traits), emotional learning (specifically from punishment), and emotion regulation. Boys and girls with CD, however, displayed similar impairments in emotion processing. CONCLUSION This study provides compelling evidence for a relationship between CD and deficient neurocognitive functioning across three emotional domains that have previously been linked to CD etiology. However, there was no support for sex-specific profiles of emotion dysfunction, suggesting that current neurocognitive models of CD apply equally to both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Martin Prätzlich
- Psychiatric University Clinics and University of Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Lucres Jansen
- VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ruth Pauli
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Roberta Clanton
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Rosalind Baker
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - Aitana Bigorra
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, University Hospital Mutua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Eva Sesma-Pardo
- Psychiatric Service, Basurto University Hospital, Bilbao, Spain
| | | | - Réka Siklósi
- Pediatrics and Child Health Center, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Roberta Dochnal
- Pediatrics and Child Health Center, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | | | | | | | | | - Amaia Hervas
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, University Hospital Mutua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Arne Popma
- VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Stephane A De Brito
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, UK
| | - James R Blair
- Center for Neurobehavioral Research, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE
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Wells AE, Hunnikin LM, Ash DP, van Goozen SHM. Children with Behavioural Problems Misinterpret the Emotions and Intentions of Others. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 48:213-221. [PMID: 31686284 PMCID: PMC6969861 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-019-00594-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Research indicates that the misinterpretation of other's emotions or intentions may lead to antisocial behaviour. This study investigated emotion and intention recognition in children with behavioural problems and examined their relationship and relations with behaviour problem severity. Participants were 7-11 year old children with behavioural problems (n = 93, mean age: 8.78, 82.8% male) who were taking part in an early intervention program and typically developing controls (n = 44, mean age: 9.82, 79.5% male). Participants completed emotion recognition and Theory of Mind tasks. Teachers and parents rated children's emotional and behavioural problems. Children with behavioural problems showed impaired emotion and intention recognition. Emotion recognition and intention recognition were positively related and inversely associated with behavioural problem severity and, independently of one another, predicted behavioural problems. This study is the first to show that children with behavioural problems are impaired in identifying others' emotions as well as intentions. These social cognitive processes were found to be related and inversely associated with severity of behavioural problems. This has important implications for intervention and prevention programmes for children with behavioural difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy E Wells
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | | | - Daniel P Ash
- Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Northampton, Northampton, UK
| | - Stephanie H M van Goozen
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK.
- Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands.
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University Centre for Human Developmental Science, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 7AT, UK.
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31
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Hunnikin LM, Wells AE, Ash DP, van Goozen SHM. The nature and extent of emotion recognition and empathy impairments in children showing disruptive behaviour referred into a crime prevention programme. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 29:363-371. [PMID: 31154516 PMCID: PMC7056692 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-019-01358-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Childhood disruptive behaviour has been linked to later antisocial and criminal behaviour. Emotion recognition and empathy impairments, thought to be caused by inattention to the eye region, are hypothesised to contribute to antisocial and criminal behaviour. This is the first study to simultaneously examine emotion recognition and empathy impairments, their relationship, and the mechanism behind these impairments, in children with disruptive behaviour. We hypothesised that children with disruptive behaviour would exhibit negative emotion recognition and cognitive and affective empathy impairments, but that these impairments would not be due to reduced attention to the eye region. We expected these emotion impairments to be driven by disruptive behaviour. We also expected a relationship between emotion recognition and cognitive empathy only. Ninety-two children with disruptive behaviour, who were participating in a police crime prevention programme and rated by their schoolteacher using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (DB; mean age 8.8 years, 80% male), took part. There was a comparison group of 58 typically developing children (TD; mean age 9.7 years, 78% male). All children completed emotion recognition and empathy tasks, both with concurrent eye tracking to assess social attention. Not only were DB children significantly impaired in negative emotion and neutral emotion recognition, and in cognitive and affective empathy compared to the TD children, but severity of disruptive behaviour also predicted intensity of emotion impairments. There were no differences in social attention to the eye region. Negative emotion recognition and empathy impairments are already present in an identifiable group of children displaying disruptive behaviour. These findings provide evidence to encourage the use of targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy E. Wells
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales UK
| | - Daniel P. Ash
- Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Northampton, Northampton, UK
| | - Stephanie H. M. van Goozen
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales UK ,Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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32
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Kohls G, Fairchild G, Bernhard A, Martinelli A, Smaragdi A, Gonzalez-Madruga K, Wells A, Rogers JC, Pauli R, Oldenhof H, Jansen L, van Rhijn A, Kersten L, Alfano J, Baumann S, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Vetro A, Lazaratou H, Hervas A, Fernández-Rivas A, Popma A, Stadler C, De Brito SA, Freitag CM, Konrad K. Neuropsychological Subgroups of Emotion Processing in Youths With Conduct Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:585052. [PMID: 33414731 PMCID: PMC7783416 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.585052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: At the group level, youths with conduct disorder (CD) show deficient emotion processing across various tasks compared to typically developing controls (TDC). But little is known about neuropsychological subgroups within the CD population, the clinical correlates of emotion processing deficits [for instance, with regard to the presence or absence of the DSM-5 Limited Prosocial Emotions (LPE) specifier], and associated risk factors. Methods: 542 children and adolescents with CD (317 girls) and 710 TDCs (479 girls), aged 9-18 years, were included from the FemNAT-CD multisite study. All participants completed three neuropsychological tasks assessing emotion recognition, emotion learning, and emotion regulation. We used a self-report measure of callous-unemotional traits to create a proxy for the LPE specifier. Results: Relative to TDCs, youths with CD as a group performed worse in all three emotion domains. But using clinically based cut-off scores, we found poor emotion recognition skills in only 23% of the participants with CD, followed by emotion regulation deficits in 18%, and emotion learning deficits in 13% of the CD group. Critically, the majority of youths with CD (~56%) did not demonstrate any meaningful neuropsychological deficit, and only a very small proportion showed pervasive deficits across all three domains (~1%). Further analyses indicate that established DSM-5 subtypes of CD are not tightly linked to neurocognitive deficits in one particular emotion domain over another (i.e., emotion recognition deficits in CD+LPE vs. emotion regulation deficits in CD-LPE). Conclusions: Findings from this large-scale data set suggest substantial neuropsychological diversity in emotion processing in the CD population and, consequently, only a subgroup of youths with CD are likely to benefit from additional behavioral interventions specifically targeting emotion processing mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Kohls
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Child Neuropsychology Section, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Graeme Fairchild
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Anka Bernhard
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anne Martinelli
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Areti Smaragdi
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Amy Wells
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Jack C Rogers
- School of Psychology, Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Pauli
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Helena Oldenhof
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health - Mental Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Lucres Jansen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health - Mental Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Arthur van Rhijn
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health - Mental Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Linda Kersten
- Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Janine Alfano
- Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Baumann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Agnes Vetro
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Pediatrics and Child Health Center, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Helen Lazaratou
- Child and Adolescent Unit of the 1st Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Amaia Hervas
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, University Hospital Mutua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Arne Popma
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health - Mental Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Christina Stadler
- Psychiatric University Clinics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stephane A De Brito
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Christine M Freitag
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Child Neuropsychology Section, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, RWTH Aachen and Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
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33
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Noten M, Van der Heijden K, Huijbregts S, Van Goozen S, Swaab H. Indicators of affective empathy, cognitive empathy, and social attention during emotional clips in relation to aggression in 3-year-olds. J Exp Child Psychol 2019; 185:35-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2019.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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34
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Fragkaki I, Cima M. The effect of oxytocin administration on empathy and emotion recognition in residential youth: A randomized, within-subjects trial. Horm Behav 2019; 114:104561. [PMID: 31351105 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has revealed a positive effect of oxytocin administration on several social behaviors especially in individuals with social-affective deficits. However, it is still unknown whether intranasal oxytocin administration (OT-IN) can be beneficial to residential youth who exhibit severe social-affective impairments. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects, sequential study to examine the effect of OT-IN on empathy and emotion recognition in 100 male adolescents living in residential youth care facilities. We also explored the moderating role of callous-unemotional traits, trauma, and dissociation in the oxytocin effect. Participants self-administered one dose of 24 IU of oxytocin or placebo and performed experimental tasks on empathy and emotion recognition before and after the administration. The same procedure was performed one week later with the other substance. We found that empathy was increased after oxytocin administration compared to placebo and this effect was specific to individuals with high callous-unemotional traits. There was no effect of OT-IN on the overall emotion recognition, but there was a positive effect on accuracy of fear recognition. Trauma and dissociation did not moderate the oxytocin effect on empathy or emotion recognition. Our findings provided evidence of a beneficial effect of OT-IN on empathy and fear recognition in residential youth. We propose that a combination of OT-IN and psychological interventions merits further exploration, as it might be a novel promising direction for more tailored approaches and better treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iro Fragkaki
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, the Netherlands.
| | - Maaike Cima
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, the Netherlands
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35
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Santamaría-García H, Ibáñez A, Montaño S, García AM, Patiño-Saenz M, Idarraga C, Pino M, Baez S. Out of Context, Beyond the Face: Neuroanatomical Pathways of Emotional Face-Body Language Integration in Adolescent Offenders. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:34. [PMID: 30863291 PMCID: PMC6399662 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Adolescent offenders (AOs) are characterized by social-norm transgression and aggressive behaviors. Those traits have been associated with alterations in socio-cognitive processes, including facial emotion recognition. While this would suggest that AOs tend to interpret negative emotional cues as threatening information, most research has relied on context-free stimuli, thus failing to directly track integrative processes typical of everyday cognition. Methods: In this study, we assessed the impact of body language and surrounding context on facial emotion recognition in AOs and non-offenders (NOs). We recruited 35 AOs from a reform school for young male offenders and 30 NOs matched for age and sex with the former group. All participants completed a well-validated task aimed to determine how contextual cues (i.e., emotional body language and surrounding context) influence facial emotion recognition through the use of congruent and incongruent combinations of facial and bodily emotional information. Results: This study showed that AOs tend to overvalue bodily and contextual signals in emotion recognition, with poorer facial-emotion categorization and increased sensitivity to context information in incongruent face-body scenarios. This pattern was associated with executive dysfunctions and disruptive behaviors, as well as with gray matter (GM) of brain regions supporting body-face recognition [fusiform gyrus (FG)], emotion processing [cingulate cortex (CC), superior temporal gyrus (STG)], contextual integration (precuneus, STG), and motor resonance [cerebellum, supplementary motor area (SMA)]. Discussion: Together, our results pave the way for a better understanding of the neurocognitive association between contextual emotion recognition, behavioral regulation, cognitive control, and externalized behaviors in AOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hernando Santamaría-García
- Departamentos de Psiquiatría y Fisiología, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia.,Centro de memoria y cognición Intellectus, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Colombia.,Grupo de Investigación Cerebro y Cognición Social, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Agustin Ibáñez
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia.,Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Synella Montaño
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Adolfo M García
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Faculty of Education, National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo), Mendoza, Argentina
| | | | - Claudia Idarraga
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Mariana Pino
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Sandra Baez
- Grupo de Investigación Cerebro y Cognición Social, Bogotá, Colombia.,Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
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36
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Billeci L, Muratori P, Calderoni S, Chericoni N, Levantini V, Milone A, Nocentini A, Papini M, Ruglioni L, Dadds M. Emotional processing deficits in Italian children with Disruptive Behavior Disorder: The role of callous unemotional traits. Behav Res Ther 2019; 113:32-38. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Emotion recognition is an important aspect of emotion processing, which is needed for appropriate social behavior and normal socialization. Previous studies in adults with antisocial personality disorder or psychopathy, in those convicted of criminal behavior, or in children with conduct disorder show impairments in negative emotion recognition. The present study investigated affective facial and prosody recognition in a sample of children at high risk of developing future criminal behavior. METHODS Participants were 8- to 12-year-old children at high risk of developing criminal behavior (N=219, 83.1% boys) and typically developing controls (N=43, 72.1% boys). The high-risk children were recruited through an ongoing early intervention project of the city of Amsterdam, that focuses on the underage siblings or children of delinquents, and those failing to attend school. Facial and vocal recognition of happy, sad, angry, and fear was measured with the Facial Emotion Recognition (FER) test and the prosody test of the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT), respectively. RESULTS The high-risk group was significantly worse in facial affect recognition and had particular problems with fear and sadness recognition. No hostile attribution bias was found. The high-risk group did not differ from controls in affective prosody recognition but needed significantly more time to recognize emotions. CONCLUSIONS The emotion-specific deficits found in forensic and clinical populations are already present in a sample of children at high risk of developing future criminal behavior. These findings help us understand a possible underlying mechanism of antisocial behavior that could provide directions for tailored interventions. (JINS, 2019, 25, 57-64).
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38
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de Kogel CH. More Autonomous or more Fenced-in? Neuroscientific Instruments and Intervention in Criminal Justice. NEUROETHICS-NETH 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12152-018-9384-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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39
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Airdrie JN, Langley K, Thapar A, van Goozen SH. Facial Emotion Recognition and Eye Gaze in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With and Without Comorbid Conduct Disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018; 57:561-570. [PMID: 30071977 PMCID: PMC6081050 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2018.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Conduct disorder (CD) is associated with impairments in facial emotion recognition. However, CD commonly co-occurs with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); thus, it is unclear whether these impairments are explained by ADHD or by one of its core features-inattention. We explored whether emotion recognition impairments are specific to individuals with ADHD and comorbid CD while also examining the mechanisms that might explain such deficits. METHOD A total of 63 male and female adolescents with ADHD (mean age = 14.2 years, age range = 11-18 years) and with (ADHD+CD) or without (ADHD) comorbid CD, and 41 typically developing controls (healthy controls [HC]; mean age = 15.5, age range = 11-18 years) performed an emotion recognition task with concurrent eye-tracking. RESULTS Participants with ADHD+CD were less accurate at recognizing fear and neutral faces, and more likely to confuse fear with anger than participants with ADHD alone and HC. Both ADHD subgroups fixated the eye region less than HC. Although there was a negative correlation between ADHD symptom severity and eye fixation duration, only CD severity was inversely related to emotion recognition accuracy. CONCLUSION Only ADHD participants with comorbid CD showed impairments in emotion recognition, suggesting that these deficits are specific to individuals with conduct problems. However, lack of attention to the eye region of faces appears to be a characteristic of ADHD. These findings suggest that emotion recognition impairments in those with ADHD+CD are related to misinterpretation rather than poor attention, offering interesting opportunities for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kate Langley
- Cardiff University, Wales, UK,MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
| | - Anita Thapar
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Wales, UK and the Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
| | - Stephanie H.M. van Goozen
- Cardiff University, Wales, UK,Leiden University, the Netherlands,Correspondence to Stephanie H. M. van Goozen, PhD, Cardiff University School of Psychology, Tower Building, Park Place, CF10 7AT, UK
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40
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Vinckier F, Morélot-Panzini C, Similowski T. Dyspnoea modifies the recognition of fearful expressions by healthy humans. Eur Respir J 2018; 51:51/2/1702253. [DOI: 10.1183/13993003.02253-2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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41
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van Zonneveld L, Platje E, de Sonneville L, van Goozen S, Swaab H. Affective empathy, cognitive empathy and social attention in children at high risk of criminal behaviour. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2017; 58:913-921. [PMID: 28397960 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Empathy deficits are hypothesized to underlie impairments in social interaction exhibited by those who engage in antisocial behaviour. Social attention is an essential precursor to empathy; however, no studies have yet examined social attention in relation to cognitive and affective empathy in those exhibiting antisocial behaviour. METHODS Participants were 8- to 12-year-old children at high risk of developing criminal behaviour (N = 114, 80.7% boys) and typically developing controls (N = 43, 72.1% boys). The high-risk children were recruited through an ongoing early identification and intervention project of the city of Amsterdam, focusing on the underage siblings or children of delinquents and those failing primary school. Video clips with neutral and emotional content (fear, happiness and pain) were shown, while heart rate (HR), skin conductance level (SCL) and skin conductance responses (SCRs) were recorded to measure affective empathy. Answers to questions about emotions in the clips were coded to measure cognitive empathy. Eye-tracking was used to evaluate visual scanning patterns towards social relevant cues (eyes and face) in the clips. RESULTS The high-risk group did not differ from the control group in social attention and cognitive empathy, but showed reduced HR to pain and fear, and reduced SCL and SCRs to pain. CONCLUSIONS Children at high risk of developing criminal behaviour show impaired affective empathy but unimpaired social attention and cognitive empathy. The implications for early identification and intervention studies with antisocial children are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisette van Zonneveld
- Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Evelien Platje
- Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Leo de Sonneville
- Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Stephanie van Goozen
- Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Hanna Swaab
- Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Moul C, Hawes DJ, Dadds MR. Mapping the developmental pathways of child conduct problems through the neurobiology of empathy. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 91:34-50. [PMID: 28377098 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2016] [Revised: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The notion that antisocial behavior reflects failures of empathy has a long history in the clinical literature, yet only recently has evidence emerged to support neuroscientific accounts of empathy and the development of child conduct problems. Much of this evidence has come from research into callous-unemotional traits, which correspond to the affective component of psychopathy and therefore encompass deficits in empathy within a broader cluster of emotional impairments. In this review we integrate current evidence concerning the biobehavioral bases of empathy and callous-unemotional traits, and discuss how it may inform models of heterogeneous subgroups of individuals with early onset conduct problems. We argue that somewhat distinct failures of empathy map onto distinct risk pathways to early onset conduct problems, and that these pathways may be best understood by examining empathy in terms of cognitive and environmental prerequisites and the various neurochemical systems implicated therein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Moul
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, 2006, Australia.
| | - David J Hawes
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, 2006, Australia.
| | - Mark R Dadds
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, 2006, Australia.
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Gladwin TE. Negative effects of an alternating-bias training aimed at attentional flexibility: a single session study. Health Psychol Behav Med 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/21642850.2016.1266634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E. Gladwin
- Research Center – Military Mental Health, Ministry of Defense, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Karyagina T. Professionalization of Empathy: Problem Statement. КОНСУЛЬТАТИВНАЯ ПСИХОЛОГИЯ И ПСИХОТЕРАПИЯ 2015. [DOI: 10.17759/cpp.2015230511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The article problematizes the vision of empathy in the context of helping professions. Empathy is seen as the higher psychic function and as an ability. The working model of empathy as an ability, which is based on the methodological principles of the Russian tradition of the research and development of abilities is proposed (V.D. Shadrikov). The specificity of empathy in helping professional’s activities and existing methods of «professional empathy» development are analyzed. The empathy professionalization concept as a necessary interconnected development of motivational, operational and functional components of the empathic abilities with regard to the conditions and requirements of a particular profession is substantiated.
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