Recognition of facial emotions among maltreated children with high rates of post–traumatic stress disorder

Authors

Carrie L. Masten, University of California - Los AngelesFollow
Amanda E. Guyer, National Institutes of HealthFollow
Hilary B. Hodgdon, Temple University
Erin B. McClureFollow
Dennis S. Charney, Mount Sinai School of MedicineFollow
Monique Ernst, National Institutes of HealthFollow
Joan Kaufman, Yale University
Daniel S. Pine, National Institutes of HealthFollow
Christopher S. Monk, University of Michigan - Ann ArborFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2008

Abstract

Objective. The purpose of this study is to examine processing of facial emotions in a sample of maltreated children showing high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Maltreatment during childhood has been associated independently with both atypical processing of emotion and the development of PTSD. However, research has provided little evidence indicating how high rates of PTSD might relate to maltreated children’s processing of emotions. Method. Participants’ reaction time and labeling of emotions were measured using a morphed facial emotion identification task. Participants included a diverse sample of maltreated children with and without PTSD and controls ranging in age from 8 to 15 years. Maltreated children had been removed from their homes and placed in state custody following experiences of maltreatment. Diagnoses of PTSD and other disorders were determined through combination of parent, child, and teacher reports. Results. Maltreated children displayed faster reaction times than controls when labeling emotional facial expressions, and this result was most pronounced for fearful faces. Relative to children who were not maltreated, maltreated children both with and without PTSD showed enhanced response times when identifying fearful faces. There was no group difference in labeling of emotions when identifying different facial emotions. Conclusions. Maltreated children show heightened ability to identify fearful faces, evidenced by faster reaction times relative to controls. This association between maltreatment and atypical processing of emotion is independent of PTSD diagnosis.

Comments

Published as:

Masten, C.L., Guyer, A.E., Hodgdon, H.B., McClure, E.B., Charney, D.S., Ernst, M., Kaufman, J., Pine, D.S., & Monk, C.S. (2008). Recognition of facial emotions among maltreated children with high rates of post–traumatic stress disorder. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32(1), 139-153. DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2007.09.006

Recommended Citation

Masten, Carrie L.; Guyer, Amanda E.; Hodgdon, Hilary B.; McClure, Erin B.; Charney, Dennis S.; Ernst, Monique; Kaufman, Joan; Pine, Daniel S.; and Monk, Christopher S., "Recognition of facial emotions among maltreated children with high rates of post–traumatic stress disorder" (2008). Psychology Faculty Publications. 134.
https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/psych_facpub/134