Effects of Early Neglect Experience on Recognition and Processing of Facial Expressions: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Child neglect is highly prevalent and associated with a series of biological and social consequences. Early neglect may alter the recognition of emotional faces, but its precise impact remains unclear. We aim to review and analyze data from recent literature about recognition and processing of facial expressions in individuals with history of childhood neglect. Methods: We conducted a systematic review using PubMed, PsycINFO, ScIELO and EMBASE databases in the search of studies for the past 10 years. Results: In total, 14 studies were selected and critically reviewed. A heterogeneity was detected across methods and sample frames. Results were mixed across studies. Different forms of alterations to perception of facial expressions were found across 12 studies. There was alteration to the recognition and processing of both positive and negative emotions, but for emotional face processing there was predominance in alteration toward negative emotions. Conclusions: This is the first review to examine specifically the effects of early neglect experience as a prevalent condition of child maltreatment. The results of this review are inconclusive due to methodological diversity, implement of distinct instruments and differences in the composition of the samples. Despite these limitations, some studies support our hypothesis that individuals with history of early negligence may present alteration to the ability to perceive face expressions of emotions. The article brings relevant information that can help in the development of more effective therapeutic strategies to reduce the impact of neglect on the cognitive and emotional development of the child.

Maltreatment and Emotion Recognition Among Brazilian Adolescents

“…Neglect was the type of maltreatment with the greatest impact on emotions' recognition, which is consistent with previous studies ( 14 , 34 ). Physical and emotional neglect were associated with changes in the recognition of all types of emotions.…”

Facial Expression Processing Across the Autism–Psychosis Spectra: A Review of Neural Findings and Associations With Adverse Childhood Events

“…As pointed out by the social motivation theory of ASD, early-onset impairments in social attention and social reward may initiate a developmental cascade that may ultimately deprive children of adequate social learning experiences, thereby also impacting on the neural sensitivity for facial expression processing (100). In a similar vein, extreme environmental factors, such as ACE, can disrupt these normative developmental experiences and can have detrimental effects on the neural basis of facial expression processing (29). Especially, due to the prolonged maturation of brain areas involved in the face processing network, these social brain regions are particularly vulnerable for the impact of stress during childhood (150)(151)(152).…”

“…Consequently, impairments in facial expression processing very likely contribute to poor psychosocial functioning in psychiatric disorders including ASD (26) and primary psychosis (27). In a similar vein, impaired facial expression processing may impact psychosocial functioning in individuals exposed to adversity (28,29). The development of adequate facial expression processing is largely driven by visual experience during childhood (28,30).…”

Understanding the development of face and emotion processing under a predictive processing framework.

“…Conversely, samples of infants at-risk present differential behavioral and neural patterns to facial "expressions" of emotion, stressing the effect of the child's experiences on the priors (for a systematic review of the effects of early neglect on emotion recognition, see Doretto & Scivoletto, 2018). Curtis and Cicchetti (2013) studied brain activity to facial configurations in 15-month-old maltreated and non-maltreated infants.…”