Alexithymia, but not autism spectrum disorder, may be related to the production of emotional facial expressions

Trevisan, Dominic A.; Bowering, Marleis; Birmingham, Elina

doi:10.1186/s13229-016-0108-6

Cited by 86 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Such technologies are already being developed and made commercially available (e.g. the Affective and Emotient Modules from iMotions () biometric platform), which has been modified from earlier versions of the software [Littlewort et al, ] and has been used in one study analyzed in the present meta‐analysis (see, Trevisan et al, ). This technology was originally developed based on the facial action coding system (FACS; Ekman & Friesen, ; Ekman et al, ), a taxonomy of human facial movements that in various combination represent different emotional facial expressions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, previous research has shown that higher degrees of alexithymia (i.e. difficulties identifying and describing one's own emotions) in participants with ASD is associated with reduced spontaneous production of facial expressions, and also associated with poorer recognition of others' emotions [Brewer et al, ; Trevisan et al, ]. In addition, clinical depression is often accompanied by severe forms of apathy with little emotional reaction to positive or negative events, which contributes to the expression of flat affect [Mayer, Alpert, Stastny, Perlick, & Empfield, ; Starkstein, Ingram, Garau, & Mizrahi, ; Trémeau et al, ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Facial Expression Production in Autism: A Meta‐Analysis

2018

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This meta-analysis summarized studies that examined group differences on the production of facial expressions in participants with ASD compared to typically developing or nonautistic clinical comparison groups. The overall summary effect from 67 effect sizes representing the average ASD-comparison group differences in facial expressions was −0.481, indicating a moderate effect size. We conducted subgroup analyses to group effect sizes according to separate facial expression abilities identified in the literature. These analyses revealed that participants with ASD display facial expressions less frequently and for less amount of time, and they are less likely to share facial expressions with others or automatically mimic the expressions of real faces or face stimuli. Their facial expressions are also judged to be lower in quality and are expressed less accurately. However, participants with ASD do not express emotions less intensely, nor is their reaction time of expression onset slower in response to odors, startling sensations, or in response to face stimuli in mimicry studies. ASD-comparison group differences were moderated by matching procedures, age, and intellectual functioning of the ASD participants suggesting that persons with higher IQ and larger number of accumulated life experiences are better able to produce facial expressions that are more consistent with "neurotypical" norms. Group differences were also stronger for "covertly elicited" than "explicitly elicited" facial expressions suggesting individuals with ASD may naturally produce facial expressions differently from other populations, but are less impaired in expressing emotions typically when prompted to do so in a laboratory setting. Lay Summary:We reviewed studies that compared facial expressions in people with and without autism. Results revealed that facial expressions of people with autism are atypical in appearance and quality and are used atypically to regulate social interactions. The magnitude of these differences was influenced by participant characteristics (e.g. age and intellectual functioning), and by how facial expressions were measured and analyzed in various studies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facial Expression Production in Autism: A Meta‐Analysis

2018

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“…Production of emotional facial expressions has also been shown to be affected in alexithymic individuals, and reduced emotional expression has been linked to alexithymic traits rather than autistic traits in groups with and without autism McDonald & Prkachin, 1990;Trevisan, Bowering, & Birmingham, 2016). Limited or abnormal facial expressions and eye contact may thus be a feature of alexithymia and contribute to higher scores on these ADOS items, increasing the likelihood of a diagnosis.…”

Section: Alexithymia and The Social Affect Ados Subscalementioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of alexithymia on autism diagnostic assessments

Hobson¹,

Westwood²,

Conway³

et al. 2018

Preprint

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Alexithymia, a difficulty identifying and communicating one’s own emotions, affects socio-emotional processes, such as emotion recognition and empathy. Co-occurring alexithymia is prevalent in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and underlies some socio-emotional difficulties previously attributed to autism. Socio-emotional abilities are examined during behavioural diagnostic assessments of autism, yet the effect of alexithymia on these assessments is not known. In this study, two previously collected samples of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) assessments were used to examine the relationship between alexithymia and ADOS score. Participants included 96 women with anorexia, and 147 adolescents who were either high in autistic symptoms, or whose twin had high autistic symptoms. We examined 1) the impact of alexithymia on meeting the criteria for autism/ASD, 2) correlations between alexithymia and ADOS subscales, and 3) whether alexithymia predicted scores on specific ADOS items, selected a priori based on the literature. In the adolescent group, parent-reported (but not self-reported) alexithymia predicted autism/ASD diagnosis, correlated with both sub-scales, and predicted scores on ADOS items. Fewer associations were observed in the anorexic sample, but the presence of alexithymia predicted a near fourfold increase in the likelihood of meeting diagnostic criteria for autism/ASD in this sample.

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“…In both ASD and Alexithymia there are thought to be widely overlapping difficulties related to social skills and emotional competence [5]. It has also been shown that Alexithymia, rather than ASD, predicted a lack of expressive response to emotionally charged stimuli [6]. Alexithymia is thought to arise as there is impaired interoception (the ability to perceive the internal state of one's body) and it had been shown that these signals have less impact upon decision making in those with Autistic Spectrum [7].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Subjective Emotional Experience in a Non-Autistic Population

Mccaw¹,

Talari²

2019

SJCM

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Clinicians within the Leeds Autism Diagnostic Service (LADS) have found that many of our patients have difficulty answering questions pertaining to subjective emotional experience. It was felt by clinicians within the service that service users who were later diagnosed as neuro-typical also had difficulty answering questions related to their subjective emotional state. It was felt that by examining responses to the meaning of four common emotional states (relaxation, anger, anxiety and happiness) in a neuro-typical population, themes or common words or phrases could be elicited in the description of each emotion. These questions were similar in scope to those found within the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2 nd Edition, which is used by LADS during diagnostic assessments. This would then allow clinicians a means of comparing a service user's responses with what could be expected from a neuro-typical population. We felt that other teams within our organization unconnected with the Autism Diagnostic Service, could serve as a useful neuro-typical population. An online survey link was therefore sent to different administration teams within Leeds and York Partnership Foundation Trust, which allowed participants to complete four questions, each one asking them to describe the subjective meaning of relaxation, anger, anxiety and happiness in turn. There were no specific inclusion or exclusion criteria for these survey participants. Each question provided an area where each survey participant could express this in up to a few sentences. Following this, the results were analysed for common descriptors and actions, associated in the responses for a particular emotion. When analysing the results, it was evident that actions and activities were more frequently used in responses by the survey participants in responses to questions related to relaxation, anger and happiness, however were less apparent in the responses to describe anxiety. It is hoped that these results will be able to guide clinicians in interpreting and scoring diagnostic screening tools for Autism by providing more knowledge about neuro-typical responses.

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Alexithymia, but not autism spectrum disorder, may be related to the production of emotional facial expressions

Cited by 86 publications

References 61 publications

Facial Expression Production in Autism: A Meta‐Analysis

Facial Expression Production in Autism: A Meta‐Analysis

The impact of alexithymia on autism diagnostic assessments

Assessing Subjective Emotional Experience in a Non-Autistic Population

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