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Msika EF, Despres M, Piolino P, Narme P. Dynamic and/or multimodal assessments for social cognition in neuropsychology: Results from a systematic literature review. Clin Neuropsychol 2024; 38:922-962. [PMID: 37904259 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2023.2266172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Objective: Despite the prevalence of socio-cognitive disturbances, and their important diagnostic/therapeutic implications, the assessment of these disturbances remains scarce. This systematic review aims to identify available social cognition tools for adult assessment that use multimodal and/or dynamic social cues, specifying their strengths and limitations (e.g. from a methodological, psychometric, ecological, and clinical perspective). Method: An electronic search was conducted in Pubmed, PsychINFO, Embase and Scopus databases for articles published up to the 3th of January 2023 and the first 200 Google Scholar results on the same date. The PRISMA methodology was applied, 3884 studies were screened based on title and abstract and 329 full texts were screened. Articles using pseudo-dynamic methodologies (e.g. morphing), reported only subjective or self-reported measures, or investigated only physiological or brain activity responses were excluded. Results: In total, 149 works were included in this review, representing 65 assessment tools (i.e. 48% studying emotion recognition (n = 31), 32% Theory of Mind (n = 21), 5% empathy (n = 3), 1.5% moral cognition/social reasoning (n = 1), and 14% being multimodal (n = 9)). For each study, the tool's main characteristics, psychometric properties, ecological validity indicators and available norms are reported. The tools are presented according to social-cognitive process assessed and communication channels used. Conclusions: This study highlights the lack of validated and standardized tools. A few tools appear to partially meet some clinical needs. The development of methodologies using a first-person paradigm and taking into account the multidimensional nature of social cognition seems a relevant research endeavour for greater ecological validity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva-Flore Msika
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition, Université Paris Cité, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Mathilde Despres
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition, Université Paris Cité, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Pascale Piolino
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition, Université Paris Cité, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Pauline Narme
- Laboratoire Mémoire, Cerveau et Cognition, Université Paris Cité, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
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2
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Bagnis A, Colonnello V, Russo PM, Mattarozzi K. Facial trustworthiness dampens own-gender bias in emotion recognition. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 88:458-465. [PMID: 37558932 PMCID: PMC10858080 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-023-01864-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Previous research suggests that emotion recognition is influenced by social categories derived by invariant facial features such as gender and inferences of trustworthiness from facial appearance. The current study sought to replicate and extend these findings by examining the intersection of these social categories on recognition of emotional facial expressions. We used a dynamic emotion recognition task to assess accuracy and response times in the happiness and anger categorization displayed by female and male faces that differed in the degree of facial trustworthiness (i.e., trustworthy- vs. untrustworthy-looking faces). We found that facial trustworthiness was able to modulate the own-gender bias on emotion recognition, as responses to untrustworthy-looking faces revealed a bias towards ingroup members. Conversely, when faces look trustworthy, no differences on emotion recognition between female and male faces were found. In addition, positive inferences of trustworthiness lead to faster recognition of happiness in females and anger in males, showing that facial appearance was able to influence also the intersection between social categories and specific emotional expressions. Together, these results suggest that facial appearance, probably due to the activation of approach or avoidance motivational systems, is able to modulate the own-gender bias on emotion recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Bagnis
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Sant'Orsola Hospital, Pad. 21, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Valentina Colonnello
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Sant'Orsola Hospital, Pad. 21, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Maria Russo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Sant'Orsola Hospital, Pad. 21, Bologna, Italy
| | - Katia Mattarozzi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Sant'Orsola Hospital, Pad. 21, Bologna, Italy
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3
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Chang Y, Yu C, Huang C, Wang T, Dziobek I, Lane H. Discrepancy of social cognition between bipolar disorders and major depressive disorders. Brain Behav 2024; 14:e3365. [PMID: 38376012 PMCID: PMC10757902 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3365] [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: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The research landscape examining social cognition (SC) impairment in patients with major depressive disorders (MDD) and bipolar disorders (BD) is notably scarce. Presently, assessments predominantly rely on static stimuli and self-reported measures, which may not capture the dynamic dimensions of social cognition. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to validate the Chinese version of Movie Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC-CH) and to investigate whether MDD and BD exhibit distinct patterns of SC impairments, shedding light on potential differences between these two mood disorders. METHODS The study encompassed 197 participants, aged 18-65, distributed as follows: 21 BD, 20 MDD, and 156 healthy controls (HC). We focused on examining "cognitive" and "emotional" SC scores and "undermentalizing" and "overmentalizing" error patterns, with nonsocial inference as a control. Additional assessments included the Reading Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) and the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). We also explored the association between depression severity (measured by the Hamilton Depressive Rating Scale, HDRS) and distinct SC dimensions between MDD and BD. RESULTS The MASC-CH exhibited strong validity and reliability for SC assessment. In group comparisons, BD participants scored significantly lower on MASC-CH, while the MDD group scores were not significantly different from HC. Specifically, BD individuals had notably lower cognitive SC scores and made more undermentalizing and absence of mentalizing errors than MDD and HC. Additionally, a negative correlation between HDRS score and overmentalizing was observed in BD, not in the MDD. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that depression severity scores in BD were inversely related to MASC-CH scores. In contrast, this relationship was not observed in the MDD group. These results underscore the importance of SC impairments as distinguishing characteristics of both BD and MDD. It provides valuable insights into the distinct social-cognitive profiles of both mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun‐Hsuan Chang
- Institute of Gerontology, College of MedicineNational Cheng Kung UniversityTainanTaiwan
- Institute of Behavioral Medicine, College of MedicineNational Cheng Kung UniversityTainanTaiwan
- Department of PsychologyNational Cheng Kung UniversityTainanTaiwan
- Institute of Genomics and BioinformaticsCollege of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing UniversityTaichungTaiwan
| | - Chu‐Ling Yu
- Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health SciencesAsia UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Department of PsychiatryChina Medical University Hsinchu HospitalHsinchuTaiwan
| | - Chih‐Chun Huang
- Department of PsychiatryNational Cheng Kung University Hospital, Dou‐Liou BranchYunlinTaiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of MedicineNational Cheng Kung UniversityTainanTaiwan
| | - Tzu‐Yun Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of MedicineNational Cheng Kung UniversityTainanTaiwan
| | - Isabel Dziobek
- Berlin School of Mind and BrainHumboldt‐Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Hsien‐Yuan Lane
- Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health SciencesAsia UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical SciencesChina Medical UniversityTaichungTaiwan
- Department of Psychiatry and Brain Disease Research CenterChina Medical University HospitalTaichungTaiwan
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4
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Hill J, Fonagy P, Osel T, Dziobek I, Sharp C. The social domains organization of mentalizing processes in adolescents: a contribution to the conceptualization of personality function and dysfunction in young people. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2023; 64:1470-1479. [PMID: 37259851 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13838] [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] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We propose and evaluate a contribution to the conceptualization and assessment of personality functioning based on social domains and mentalizing hypotheses. Social domains are distinct social contexts, such as with acquaintances and friends, with differentiated expectations regarding participants' behaviours and social attributions. The capacity to organize social participation according to these expectations requires the ability, we suggest, to modulate mentalizing processes domain by domain. Drawing on evidence that social domain organization is impaired in borderline personality disorder (BPD) and that hypermentalizing, a heightened interpretation of others' motives, thoughts or emotions, is elevated in adolescent BPD, we hypothesized that hypermentalizing levels in adolescents will vary by social domain and that elevated BPD features will be associated with impairment of this domain organization of hypermentalizing. METHODS Measures including the borderline personality features scale for children (BPFSC) and the movie for the assessment of social cognition (MASC) were administered to 171 adolescents aged 12-17 recruited from public schools and community organizations in a large metropolitan area in southwestern United States. Mean hypermentalizing scores were computed for adolescent interpretations of sequences in the MASC focusing on the social domains of acquaintance, friends and romantic interactions. RESULTS There was a progressive increase in hypermentalizing scores across the acquaintance, friends and romantic interactions (repeated measures ANOVA, p < .001, all pairwise comparisons, p ≤ .02), which was markedly reduced in the presence of elevated BPD features (interaction term, p = .007). CONCLUSIONS Hypermentalizing is organized according to social domain and this organization is impaired in the presence of elevated BPD features. The findings are consistent with the proposal that personality functioning entails a social domains organization of hypermentalizing, which is impaired in personality dysfunction. Identifying mentalizing processes domain by domain has the potential to create a personalized focus for the treatment of adolescents with personality difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Hill
- School for Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
- Department of Philosophy, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Peter Fonagy
- Psychoanalysis Unit, University College London, London, UK
- Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, London, UK
| | - Tiziana Osel
- School for Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Isabel Dziobek
- Institut fur Psychologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carla Sharp
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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5
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Bharwani A, Ruzycki SM. Closing the empathy gap towards equitable outcomes: gender equity in the medical workforce. BMJ LEADER 2022:leader-2020-000425. [DOI: 10.1136/leader-2020-000425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BackgroundEmpathy failures lead to equity failures. Women and men physicians experience work differently. Men physicians, however, may be unaware how these differences impact their colleagues. This constitutes an empathy gap; empathy gaps are associated with harm to outgroups. In our previous published work, we found that men had divergent views from women about the experiences of women relating to gender equity; senior men differed most from junior women. Since men physicians hold disproportionately more leadership roles than women, this empathy gap warrants exploration and remediation.AnalysisGender, age, motivation and power each seems to influence our empathic tendencies. Empathy, however, is not a static trait. Empathy can be developed and displayed by individuals through their thoughts, words and actions. Leaders can also influence culture by enshrining an empathic disposition in our social and organisation structures.ConclusionsWe outline methods to increase our empathic capacities as individuals and organisations through perspective-taking, perspective-giving and verbal commitments to institutional empathy. In doing so, we challenge all medical leaders to herald an empathic transformation of our medical culture in pursuit of a more equitable and pluralistic workplace for all groups of people.
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6
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Hamilton LJ, Gourley AN, Krendl AC. They Cannot, They Will Not, or We Are Asking the Wrong Questions: Re-examining Age-Related Decline in Social Cognition. Front Psychol 2022; 13:894522. [PMID: 35645861 PMCID: PMC9131941 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.894522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social cognition is critical for successfully navigating social relationships. Current evidence suggests that older adults exhibit poorer performance in several core social-cognitive domains compared to younger adults. Neurocognitive decline is commonly discussed as one of the key arbiters of age-related decline in social-cognitive abilities. While evidence supports this notion, age effects are likely attributable to multiple factors. This paper aims to recontextualize past evidence by focusing issues of motivation, task design, and representative samples. In light of these issues, we identify directions for future research to aide our understanding of social-cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas J Hamilton
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Amy N Gourley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Anne C Krendl
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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7
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Coordinated condemnation in women's intrasexual competition. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.111294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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8
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McLaren V, Gallagher M, Hopwood CJ, Sharp C. Hypermentalizing and Borderline Personality Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review. Am J Psychother 2022; 75:21-31. [PMID: 35099264 DOI: 10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20210018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A hypermentalizing impairment, or tendency to overattribute mental states to others, has been identified among individuals with borderline personality disorder. However, associations between hypermentalizing and other disorders call into question the specificity of this impairment to borderline personality disorder. This study aimed to evaluate the relative strength of the association between hypermentalizing and borderline personality disorder compared with other disorders and to assess the impact of moderators on the relationship between hypermentalizing and psychopathology. METHODS The authors conducted a meta-analysis of 36 studies (N=4,188 people) to investigate the relative strength of the association between hypermentalizing and borderline personality disorder, compared with other disorders, and to assess the impact of moderators on this relationship. The Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition, an ecologically valid experimental instrument, was used to measure hypermentalizing. RESULTS Results indicated support for an association between psychopathology and hypermentalizing (r=0.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.17 to 0.31), but the association was not significantly stronger for borderline personality disorder (r=0.26, 95% CI=0.12 to 0.39) than for other disorders (r=0.24, 95% CI=0.14 to 0.33). Neither age nor gender significantly moderated the association between psychopathology and hypermentalizing. CONCLUSIONS Hypermentalizing may be related to psychopathology in general rather than borderline personality disorder in particular. The findings are discussed in view of the possibility that features of borderline personality disorder associated with other psychopathology may explain the overall association between psychopathology and hypermentalizing. Clinical implications for mentalization-based treatment and concerns that the measurement used for hypermentalization may be too narrow and not representative of variations in functioning across cultures and race-ethnicity also are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica McLaren
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston (McLaren, Gallagher, Sharp); Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis (Hopwood)
| | - Matthew Gallagher
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston (McLaren, Gallagher, Sharp); Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis (Hopwood)
| | - Chris J Hopwood
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston (McLaren, Gallagher, Sharp); Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis (Hopwood)
| | - Carla Sharp
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston (McLaren, Gallagher, Sharp); Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis (Hopwood)
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9
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Seitz KI, Ehler N, Schmitz M, Schmitz SE, Dziobek I, Herpertz SC, Bertsch K. Affective and cognitive theory of mind in posttraumatic stress, major depressive, and somatic symptom disorders: Association with childhood trauma. BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 61:680-700. [PMID: 35102575 DOI: 10.1111/bjc.12357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Childhood trauma constitutes a major risk factor for adult psychopathology, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and somatic symptom disorder (SSD). One potential mechanism linking childhood trauma to adult psychopathology may be alterations in theory of mind (ToM). Given the lack of transdiagnostic studies on the association between childhood trauma and ToM, further research is needed to elucidate whether and how childhood trauma relates to ToM impairments across and within diagnostic boundaries. DESIGN A cross-sectional study design was applied. METHODS A total of 137 individuals with varying levels of childhood trauma took part in this study, encompassing individuals with PTSD (n = 33), MDD (n = 33), SSD (n = 36), and healthy volunteers (HVs; n = 35). To assess ToM performance and childhood trauma, the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition was administered along with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. RESULTS Only individuals with PTSD, but not individuals with MDD or SSD, showed a worse ToM performance compared to HVs. In the whole sample, childhood trauma correlated negatively with ToM performance. Exploratory group-specific analyses revealed higher levels of childhood trauma to be associated with more excessive ToM errors in individuals with SSD, and notably with an enhanced ToM performance in individuals with MDD. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate associations between childhood trauma and ToM impairments in a large, transdiagnostic sample. Provided replication in future studies, our findings suggest ToM capacities as a promising treatment target for individuals exposed to severe childhood trauma, at least or particularly with a diagnosis of PTSD. PRACTITIONER POINTS Our results suggest that individuals with a history of severe childhood trauma, at least or particularly with a clinical diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder, may benefit from therapeutic approaches targeting theory of mind capacities. Our findings indicate that higher levels of childhood trauma may be linked to a specific 'hypermentalizing' bias in somatic symptom disorder. Our findings further point towards an association between higher levels of childhood trauma and a heightened - rather than a diminished - sensitivity towards interpersonal cues in major depressive disorder. Provided further confirmatory evidence, our findings may support diagnosis-specific approaches in ameliorating theory of mind abilities in individuals with different mental disorders and a history of severe childhood trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja I Seitz
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Nicola Ehler
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Marius Schmitz
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
| | - Sara E Schmitz
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Isabel Dziobek
- Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabine C Herpertz
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Katja Bertsch
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
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10
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Rochat MJ. Sex and gender differences in the development of empathy. J Neurosci Res 2022; 101:718-729. [PMID: 35043464 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The topic of typical sex and gender difference in empathy is examined in both a developmental and neuroscientific perspective. Empathy is construed as a multi-layered phenomenon with various degrees of complexity unfolding in ontogeny. The different components of empathy (i.e., affective, cognitive, and prosocial motivation) will be discussed as they interact and are expressed behaviorally. Significant sex/gender differences in empathy are discussed in relation to putative bottom-up or top-down processes underlying empathetic responses. The early onset and the pervasive presence of such sex/gender differences throughout the lifespan are further discussed in light of social and neurobiological modeling factors, including early socialization, brain's structural/functional variances, as well as genetics and hormonal factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Jane Rochat
- Functional and Molecular Neuroimaging Unit, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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11
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¿El entrenamiento en lectura de creencias puede influir sobre la competencia pragmática?: un estudio sobre las relaciones de estas capacidades cognitivas en la infancia. ACTA COLOMBIANA DE PSICOLOGIA 2021. [DOI: 10.14718/acp.2021.24.2.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Con el objetivo de indagar respecto a la influencia de la lectura de creencias sobre la competencia pragmática, en el presente estudio 56 niños de entre 48 y 54 meses pertenecientes al programa Buen Comienzo de la ciudad de Medellín participaron en un diseño experimental pre-post con grupo control. Para la evaluación de la lectura de creencias se adaptaron al español cuatro pruebas de la escala de Wellman y Liu (2004), mientras que para evaluar la competencia pragmática se adaptaron cuatro situaciones comunicativas propuestas por Sacco et al. (2008). Para la manipulación de la variable se llevaron a cabo 10 sesiones de entrenamiento en lectura de creencias. De acuerdo con los resultados intragrupo, el programa de entrenamiento fue efectivo para mejorar la variable entrenada, pues el grupo experimental mejoró su desempeño en la lectura de creencias (p = .007; d = –.663) y en la competencia pragmática (p = .007; d = .648); no obstante, aunque se encontraron diferencias significativas entre el grupo experimental y el grupo control para la lectura de creencias (p = .001; d = .472), no fue así para el desempeño en la competencia pragmática (p = .340; d = .143). A la luz de estos resultados, no es posible asegurar una relación de influencia de la lectura de creencias sobre la competencia pragmática; sin embargo, se encontró un modelo de regresión lineal satisfactorio cuando se incluyeron en los análisis variables sociodemográficas. Al final del artículo se discute respecto a la necesidad de integrar variables de contexto cuando se indaga por una posible relación de influencia de una variable psicológica sobre otra.
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12
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Stietz J, Pollerhoff L, Kurtz M, Li SC, Reiter AMF, Kanske P. The ageing of the social mind: replicating the preservation of socio-affective and the decline of socio-cognitive processes in old age. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210641. [PMID: 34457343 PMCID: PMC8386516 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Anticipating population ageing to reach a historically unprecedented level in this century and considering the public goal of promoting well-being until old age, research in many fields has started to focus on processes and factors that contribute to healthy ageing. Since human interactions have a tremendous impact on our mental and physical well-being, scientists are increasingly investigating the basic processes that enable successful social interactions such as social affect (empathy, compassion) and social cognition (Theory of Mind). However, regarding the replication crisis in psychological science it is crucial to probe the reproducibility of findings revealed by each specific method. To this end, we aimed to replicate the effect of age on empathy, compassion and Theory of Mind observed in Reiter and colleagues' study (Reiter et al. 2017 Sci. Rep. 7, 11046 (doi:10.1038/s41598-017-10669-4)) by using the same ecologically valid paradigm in an independent sample with similar age ranges. We were able to replicate the previously observed results of a preservation or even enhancement in socio-affective processes, but a decline in socio-cognitive processes for older adults. Our findings add to the understanding of how social affect and cognition change across the adult lifespan and may suggest targets for intervention studies aiming to foster successful social interactions and well-being until advanced old age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Stietz
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lena Pollerhoff
- Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marcel Kurtz
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Shu-Chen Li
- Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andrea M. F. Reiter
- Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Kanske
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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13
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Zammuto M, Ottaviani C, Laghi F, Lonigro A. The Heart in the Mind: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Association Between Theory of Mind and Cardiac Vagal Tone. Front Physiol 2021; 12:611609. [PMID: 34305625 PMCID: PMC8299530 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.611609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) is the human ability to infer the mental states of others in order to understand their behaviors and plan own actions. In the past decades, accumulating evidence has shown that heart rate variability (HRV), an index of parasympathetic control of the heart, is linked to behavioral regulation, social competence, and social cognition abilities, all implicated-to some extent-in ToM. This study aims to systematically review and meta-analyze the available studies, investigating the relation between ToM and HRV in typically developing people. Six studies were eligible for the meta-analysis, yielding a significant association between HRV and ToM of a small-to-medium effect size (g = 0.44). This result was not influenced by publication bias. Due to the small number of studies eligible for the meta-analysis, it was not possible to test for the effect of categorical moderators. The moderating role of sex and quality of the studies was examined by meta-regression analysis. Moderation analysis did not yield any significant effect; however, at a descriptive level, studies yielding the largest effect size were characterized by the use of high frequency-HRV assessment at rest and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test to evaluate ToM abilities. The results preliminarily suggest that tonic HRV might be used as an indicator of the ability to understand the content of mind of others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Zammuto
- Department of Social and Developmetal Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Ottaviani
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Functional Neuroimaging Lab, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorenzo Laghi
- Department of Social and Developmetal Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonia Lonigro
- Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Wright BC, Wright BAL. Language Can Obscure as Well as Facilitate Apparent-Theory of Mind Performance: Part 2-The Case of Dyslexia in Adulthood. Front Psychol 2021; 12:621457. [PMID: 34248734 PMCID: PMC8264364 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.621457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies imply causal links between linguistic competencies and Theory of Mind (ToM). But despite Dyslexia being a prime example of linguistic deficits, studies on whether it is related to ToM have been relatively unforthcoming. In the first of 2 studies (N = 89), independently-diagnosed dyslexic adults and non-dyslexic adults were presented with false-belief vignettes via computer, answering 4 types of question (Factual, Inference, 1st-order ToM & 2nd-order ToM). Dyslexia related to lower false-belief scores. Study 2 (N = 93) replicated this result with a non-computer-based variant on the false-belief task. We considered the possibility that the apparent-issue with ToM is caused by processing demands more associated to domains of cognition such as language, than to ToM itself. Addressing this possibility, study 2 additionally utilised the ToM30Q questionnaire, designed largely to circumvent issues related to language and memory. Principal-Components analysis extracted 4 factors, 2 capturing perceptual/representational ToM, and the other 2 capturing affective components related to ToM. The ToM30Q was validated via its associations to a published measure of empathy, replication of the female gender advantage over males, and for one factor from the ToM30Q there was a correlation with an existing published index of ToM. However, when we considered the performance of dyslexic and non-dyslexic participants using the ToM30Q, we found absolutely no difference between them. The contrasting findings from our 2 studies here, arguably offer the first experimental evidence with adults, that there is in fact no ToM deficit in dyslexia. Additionally, this finding raises the possibility that some other groups considered in some sense atypical, failed ToM tasks, not because they actually have a ToM deficit at all, but rather because they are asked to reveal their ToM competence through cognitive domains, such as language and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barlow C Wright
- School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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15
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Lynch H, McDonagh C, Hennessy E. Social Anxiety and Depression Stigma Among Adolescents. J Affect Disord 2021; 281:744-750. [PMID: 33257039 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.11.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The stigma associated with mental disorders in adolescence has a range of detrimental consequences, negatively impacting help-seeking behaviours and quality of life. Social anxiety typically has its onset during adolescence, but the associated stigma is not well understood. This study was designed to improve understanding of social anxiety and depression stigma in adolescence by examining demographic and personal variables that predict them both. METHODS Three hundred and fifteen adolescents (150 males, 165 females), from 2nd and 4th year of secondary school (mean ages 13.92 and 15.92 years respectively), completed the Peer Mental Health Stigmatization Scale to measure both personal and perceived stigma towards vignettes depicting social anxiety and depression. They also answered demographic questions and completed the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents. RESULTS Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that gender predicted both personal and perceived stigma towards depression and personal stigma towards social anxiety. Males scored higher on measures of personal stigma whereas females had higher scores on perceived stigma. Ability to accurately identify symptoms described in a vignette, predicted lower personal stigma towards social anxiety and higher perceived stigma towards depression. Depression was more stigmatized than social anxiety. LIMITATIONS The study used vignettes to represent individuals with depression and social anxiety so participant responses may not reflect their behaviour towards real peers. CONCLUSIONS Findings emphasise the importance of separately considering personal and perceived stigma for each condition and highlight gender differences in stigma responses that need to be considered in intervention design.
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16
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Can theory of mind be improved? Positive expectations cause better theory of mind performance in a community sample. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 2020; 69:101577. [PMID: 32559656 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2020.101577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Theory of Mind (ToM) deficits are present in several mental disorders and closely related to problems in social functioning and lower quality of life. While several trainings are aimed at improving ToM performance, it is unknown whether positive expectations on a persons' ToM performance might cause better ToM achievement. METHODS Participants (n = 131) first completed a mock ToM test and were then randomly assigned to either receive standardized positive, negative or no feedback on their ToM performance. Secondly, their expectations on their own ToM performance were assessed. Thirdly, ToM was assessed using the Movie Task for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC). RESULTS Participants who received positive feedback resulted in positive expectations on their ToM performance and showed enhanced ToM performance, whereas negative feedback did not lead to negative expectations and negative expectations did not affect a change in ToM performance. LIMITATIONS In the present exploratory study, the effect of positive expectations on ToM performance was assessed in a community sample. Thus, the study should be replicated in a clinical sample for more in-depth results. CONCLUSIONS ToM performance could be enhanced by inducing positive expectations on one's ToM performance, whereas negative feedback had no effect. The present study suggest that interventions that focus on strengthening positive expectations on one's ToM performance could enhance the efficacy of present ToM training methods.
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17
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Holland AC, O’Connell G, Dziobek I. Facial mimicry, empathy, and emotion recognition: a meta-analysis of correlations. Cogn Emot 2020; 35:150-168. [DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2020.1815655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alison C. Holland
- Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Garret O’Connell
- Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Institute of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Isabel Dziobek
- Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Institute of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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18
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Fama R, Le Berre AP, Sullivan EV. Alcohol's Unique Effects on Cognition in Women: A 2020 (Re)view to Envision Future Research and Treatment. Alcohol Res 2020; 40:03. [PMID: 32923307 PMCID: PMC7473713 DOI: 10.35946/arcr.v40.2.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use and misuse is increasing among women. Although the prevalence of drinking remains higher in men than women, the gender gap is narrowing. This narrative review focuses on the cognitive sequelae of alcohol consumption in women. Studies of acute alcohol effects on cognition indicate that women typically perform worse than men on tasks requiring divided attention, memory, and decision-making. Beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption on cognition have been reported; however, a number of studies have cautioned that other factors may be driving that association. Although chronic heavy drinking affects working memory, visuospatial abilities, balance, emotional processing, and social cognition in women and men, sex differences mark the severity and specific profile of functional deficits. The accelerated or compressed progression of alcohol-related problems and their consequences observed in women relative to men, referred to as "telescoping," highlights sex differences in the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, cognitive, and psychological consequences of alcohol. Brain volume deficits affecting multiple systems, including frontolimbic and frontocerebellar networks, contribute to impairment. Taken together, sex-related differences highlight the complexity of this chronic disease in women and underscore the relevance of examining the roles of age, drinking patterns, duration of abstinence, medical history, and psychiatric comorbidities in defining and understanding alcohol-related cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary Fama
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
- Neuroscience Program, SRI International, Menlo Park, California
| | - Anne-Pascale Le Berre
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Edith V Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
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19
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Penner F, McLaren V, Leavitt J, Akca OF, Sharp C. Implicit and Explicit Mentalizing Deficits in Adolescent Inpatients: Specificity and Incremental Value of Borderline Pathology. J Pers Disord 2020; 34:64-83. [PMID: 31887101 DOI: 10.1521/pedi_2019_33_463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Research has demonstrated mentalizing impairment associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) in adolescents. However, mentalizing performance in adolescents with BPD has never been compared to that of psychiatric control and healthy control adolescents simultaneously. The present study aimed to (a) compare implicit and explicit mentalizing, and hypermentalizing errors in implicit mentalizing, across youth with BPD and psychiatric and healthy controls, and (b) evaluate the association of borderline features with mentalizing deficits over and above internalizing and externalizing. Psychiatric inpatients with BPD (n = 139), inpatient psychiatric controls (n = 310), and healthy adolescents (n = 134) completed two mentalizing tasks, an interview assessing BPD, and measures of psychopathology. Results showed that BPD specificity could be demonstrated only for implicit mentalizing and hypermentalizing. Explicit mentalizing deficits did not differ between BPD and psychiatric control groups. Borderline features had unique associations to implicit mentalizing and hypermentalizing, over and above internalizing and externalizing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jacob Leavitt
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Omer Faruk Akca
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Meram School of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Carla Sharp
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas.,Centre for Development Support, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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20
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Gourlay C, Collin P, Caron PO, D'Auteuil C, Scherzer PB. Psychometric assessment of social cognitive tasks. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-ADULT 2020; 29:731-749. [PMID: 32841055 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2020.1807348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Although there has been a marked increase in interest in social cognition (SC) in recent years, psychometric data relating to many tasks used to measure its components remain limited in healthy populations with only five articles published to date. It is accordingly premature to speak of a consensus concerning the specific components, or best tests of the components, and possible cultural differences. The present study sought to partially fill that gap, examining the psychometric properties of a battery of SC tasks in a sample of 100 healthy adults aged 18-85 years old. Initially, nine tasks assessing four SC components were selected: emotion recognition, theory of mind, attributional bias, and social judgment. Construct validity and criterion-related validity were assessed using factor and correlational analyses. Performance across age and sex groups was also investigated. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency, interrater and intercoder agreement. Results indicated satisfactory properties for the Ambiguous Intentions Hostility Questionnaire-blame score, the Social Judgment Task, the Facial Emotions Recognition Test, and a modified version of the Strange Stories Task. Statistically significant differences were found between the groups with regard to age and sex after accounting for demographic and cognitive factors. However, the correlations of these measures with relationship quality were mostly very low, raising questions about their concomitant validity. Other tasks showed sub-optimal properties, suggesting that some frequently used tests require further validation or modifications to ensure the quality of research findings. Based on the results, recommended measures for future studies and limitations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Gourlay
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Pascal Collin
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | | | - Camille D'Auteuil
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Peter B Scherzer
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
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21
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Isaksson J, Van't Westeinde A, Cauvet É, Kuja-Halkola R, Lundin K, Neufeld J, Willfors C, Bölte S. Social Cognition in Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Co-twin Control Study. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:2838-2848. [PMID: 30972652 PMCID: PMC6606667 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04001-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in social cognition (SC) are hypothesized to underlie social communication and interaction challenges in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aetiological underpinnings driving this association remain unclear. We examined SC in 196 twins with ASD, other neurodevelopmental disorders or typical development using the naturalistic Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition. Autism and its severity were assessed with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2, and autistic traits with the Social Responsiveness Scale-2. Using within twin-pair regression models, controlling for age, sex, IQ, and unmeasured familial confounders such as genetic background and shared-environment, SC correlated with ASD diagnosis, autism severity, and autistic traits. Our findings highlight the importance of SC alterations in autism and suggest a non-shared environmental impact on the association.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Isaksson
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Center for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet & Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Neuroscience, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - A Van't Westeinde
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Center for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet & Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - É Cauvet
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Center for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet & Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - R Kuja-Halkola
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - K Lundin
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Center for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet & Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - J Neufeld
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Center for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet & Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - C Willfors
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Center for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet & Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - S Bölte
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Center for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet & Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
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22
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Ghosh E, Nilsson KW, Isaksson J. Own-gender bias in school staff's recognition of children with ADHD. Acta Paediatr 2019; 108:1165-1166. [PMID: 30715763 DOI: 10.1111/apa.14738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Ghosh
- Department of Neuroscience, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
| | - Kent W Nilsson
- Centre for Clinical Research Västmanland County Hospital Västerås Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
| | - Johan Isaksson
- Department of Neuroscience, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit Uppsala University Uppsala Sweden
- Karolinska Institutet Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND) Centre for Psychiatry Research Department of Women's and Children's Health Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services Stockholm County Council Stockholm Sweden
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23
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Schelinski S, von Kriegstein K. The Relation Between Vocal Pitch and Vocal Emotion Recognition Abilities in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:68-82. [PMID: 30022285 PMCID: PMC6331502 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3681-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
We tested the relation between vocal emotion and vocal pitch perception abilities in adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and pairwise matched adults with typical development. The ASD group had impaired vocal but typical non-vocal pitch and vocal timbre perception abilities. The ASD group showed less accurate vocal emotion perception than the comparison group and vocal emotion perception abilities were correlated with traits and symptoms associated with ASD. Vocal pitch and vocal emotion perception abilities were significantly correlated in the comparison group only. Our results suggest that vocal emotion recognition difficulties in ASD might not only be based on difficulties with complex social tasks, but also on difficulties with processing of basic sensory features, such as vocal pitch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Schelinski
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Technische Universität Dresden, Faculty of Psychology, Bamberger Straße 7, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Katharina von Kriegstein
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Technische Universität Dresden, Faculty of Psychology, Bamberger Straße 7, 01187 Dresden, Germany
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