Associations between Facial Emotion Recognition and Mental Health in Early Adolescence
Research shows that adolescents with mental illnesses have a bias for processing negative facial emotions, and this may play a role in impaired social functioning that often co-exists with a mental health diagnosis. This study examined associations between psychological and somatic problems and faci...
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doaj-cbc9753dc9b944ff8f052b21107731322020-11-25T00:33:36ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1660-46012020-01-0117133010.3390/ijerph17010330ijerph17010330Associations between Facial Emotion Recognition and Mental Health in Early AdolescenceGabrielle Simcock0Larisa T. McLoughlin1Tamara De Regt2Kathryn M. Broadhouse3Denise Beaudequin4Jim Lagopoulos5Daniel F. Hermens6Sunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Birtinya 4575, AustraliaSunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Birtinya 4575, AustraliaSchool of Psychology, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs 4556, AustraliaSunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Birtinya 4575, AustraliaSunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Birtinya 4575, AustraliaSunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Birtinya 4575, AustraliaSunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Birtinya 4575, AustraliaResearch shows that adolescents with mental illnesses have a bias for processing negative facial emotions, and this may play a role in impaired social functioning that often co-exists with a mental health diagnosis. This study examined associations between psychological and somatic problems and facial emotion recognition in early adolescence; as any processing biases in this age-group may be an early indicator of later mental illnesses. A community sample of 40 12-year-olds self-rated their symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatization via two mental health screeners. They also completed a computerized emotion recognition task in which they identified photographs of 40 faces showing expressions of anger, fear, sadness, happiness, or neutral expression. Results showed that increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatization were significantly associated with fewer correct responses to angry expressions. These symptoms were also associated with faster and more accurate recognition of fearful expressions. However, there was no association between mental health and recognition of sad affect. Finally, increased psychological and/or somatic symptomology was also associated with better identification of neutral expressions. In conclusion, youth with increased psychological and/or somatic problems exhibited a processing bias for negative anger and fear expressions, but not sadness. They showed better processing of neutral faces than youth with fewer psychological and/or somatic problems. Findings are discussed in relation to indicators of mental illnesses in early adolescence and the potential underpinning neural mechanisms associated with mental health and emotional facial recognition.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/1/330facial emotion recognitionadolescencemental healthemotion processing bias |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Gabrielle Simcock Larisa T. McLoughlin Tamara De Regt Kathryn M. Broadhouse Denise Beaudequin Jim Lagopoulos Daniel F. Hermens |
spellingShingle |
Gabrielle Simcock Larisa T. McLoughlin Tamara De Regt Kathryn M. Broadhouse Denise Beaudequin Jim Lagopoulos Daniel F. Hermens Associations between Facial Emotion Recognition and Mental Health in Early Adolescence International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health facial emotion recognition adolescence mental health emotion processing bias |
author_facet |
Gabrielle Simcock Larisa T. McLoughlin Tamara De Regt Kathryn M. Broadhouse Denise Beaudequin Jim Lagopoulos Daniel F. Hermens |
author_sort |
Gabrielle Simcock |
title |
Associations between Facial Emotion Recognition and Mental Health in Early Adolescence |
title_short |
Associations between Facial Emotion Recognition and Mental Health in Early Adolescence |
title_full |
Associations between Facial Emotion Recognition and Mental Health in Early Adolescence |
title_fullStr |
Associations between Facial Emotion Recognition and Mental Health in Early Adolescence |
title_full_unstemmed |
Associations between Facial Emotion Recognition and Mental Health in Early Adolescence |
title_sort |
associations between facial emotion recognition and mental health in early adolescence |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
issn |
1660-4601 |
publishDate |
2020-01-01 |
description |
Research shows that adolescents with mental illnesses have a bias for processing negative facial emotions, and this may play a role in impaired social functioning that often co-exists with a mental health diagnosis. This study examined associations between psychological and somatic problems and facial emotion recognition in early adolescence; as any processing biases in this age-group may be an early indicator of later mental illnesses. A community sample of 40 12-year-olds self-rated their symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatization via two mental health screeners. They also completed a computerized emotion recognition task in which they identified photographs of 40 faces showing expressions of anger, fear, sadness, happiness, or neutral expression. Results showed that increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatization were significantly associated with fewer correct responses to angry expressions. These symptoms were also associated with faster and more accurate recognition of fearful expressions. However, there was no association between mental health and recognition of sad affect. Finally, increased psychological and/or somatic symptomology was also associated with better identification of neutral expressions. In conclusion, youth with increased psychological and/or somatic problems exhibited a processing bias for negative anger and fear expressions, but not sadness. They showed better processing of neutral faces than youth with fewer psychological and/or somatic problems. Findings are discussed in relation to indicators of mental illnesses in early adolescence and the potential underpinning neural mechanisms associated with mental health and emotional facial recognition. |
topic |
facial emotion recognition adolescence mental health emotion processing bias |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/1/330 |
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