The Facial and Subjective Emotional Reaction in Response to a Video Game Designed to Train Emotional Regulation (Playmancer)

Abstract

Several aspects of social and emotional functioning are abnormal in people with eating disorders. The aim of the present study was to measure facial emotional expression in patients with eating disorders and healthy controls whilst playing a therapeutic video game (Playmancer) designed to train individuals in emotional regulation. Participants were 23 ED patients (11 AN, 12 BN) and 11 HCs. ED patients self reported more anger at baseline but expressed less facial expression of anger during the Playmancer game. The discrepancy between self-report and non-verbal expression may lead to problems in social communication.

The Effects of Video Games on Cognition and Brain Structure: Potential Implications for Neuropsychiatric Disorders

“…Although preliminary, the results suggest that this approach has potential for providing patients with additional coping skills for managing negative emotions and stress. Another study measured the facial expression of emotion in 23 patients with eating disorders compared to 11 healthy controls during PlayMancer game-play [79]. These authors found that patients with eating disorders reported more anger at baseline but showed less facial expression of anger during the PlayMancer game.…”

Facial expression to emotional stimuli in non-psychotic disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…In anorexia nervosa (AN) n=6; bulimia nervosa (BN) n=1; AN/BN n=4 (Cardi et al, 2015(Cardi et al, , 2014Claes et al, 2012;Dapelo et al, 2015;Davies et al, 2013Davies et al, , 2011Lang et al, 2016;Rhind et al, 2014;Soussignan et al, 2011Soussignan et al, , 2010Tárrega et al, 2014).…”

“…Results were similar for both outcome measures, but since Duchenne-smiles are considered a more authentic expression of positive emotion, these outcome values were included in the meta-analysis. This resulted in six ES for quantitative synthesis for positive emotions and five for negative emotions (Dapelo et al (2015) The remaining four studies in ED (Claes et al, 2012;Soussignan et al, 2011Soussignan et al, , 2010Tárrega et al, 2014) were shown prior to the food pictures (d=0.9). Soussignan et al (2011) also used food stimuli in comparison to non-food stimuli with comparative hedonic value and measured EMG response of zygomaticus and corrugator activity.…”

“…facial expression, psychophysiology, gaze dynamics) in a standardized manner. Additionally, virtual environment systems can be used to give real time feedback to patients on their emotional responses and thus to have the capacity to train immediately some emotion regulation skills (Fernandez-Aranda et al, 2012), as shown in recently published research with impulse related disorders (FernandezAranda et al, 2015;Tárrega et al, 2015). Another important factor on stimulus level is if it depicts emotional scenes or facial expressions, where participants' expression may rather be mimicry than really felt emotions.…”

Effect of Aggression Regulation on Eating Disorder Pathology: RCT of a Brief Body and Movement Oriented Intervention

“…Patients suffering from anorexia nervosa can feel anger as a terrifying emotion that needs to be avoided (by concentration on food, body and weight), needs to be suppressed, for example by physical activity, and released by anorectic self-control or self-harm (Espeset, Gulliksen, Nordbø, Skårderud, & Holte, 2012). They tend to show less facial anger expression than they feel, which may lead to problems in social communication (Claes et al, 2012;Joos et al, 2012). It is suggested that treatment of non-suicidal self-injury in ED should focus on stabilizing affective states rather than on reducing affects like anger (Vansteelandt et al, 2013).…”