Behnoush Behnia1, Stefan Roepke1, Isabel Dziobek2,3, Hanna Drimalla4,5,6,7, Irina Baskow2,1. 1. Departement of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203, Berlin, Deutschland. 2. Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099, Berlin, Germany. 3. Clinical Psychology of Social Interaction, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099, Berlin, Germany. 4. Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099, Berlin, Germany. drimalla@uni-bielefeld.de. 5. Clinical Psychology of Social Interaction, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099, Berlin, Germany. drimalla@uni-bielefeld.de. 6. Digital Health Center, Hasso Plattner Institute, University of Potsdam, Am Neuen Palais 10, 14469, Potsdam, Germany. drimalla@uni-bielefeld.de. 7. Multimodal Behavior Processing, Faculty of Technology, Bielefeld University, Inspiration 1, 33619, Bielefeld, Germany. drimalla@uni-bielefeld.de.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Imitation of facial expressions plays an important role in social functioning. However, little is known about the quality of facial imitation in individuals with autism and its relationship with defining difficulties in emotion recognition. METHODS: We investigated imitation and recognition of facial expressions in 37 individuals with autism spectrum conditions and 43 neurotypical controls. Using a novel computer-based face analysis, we measured instructed imitation of facial emotional expressions and related it to emotion recognition abilities. RESULTS: Individuals with autism imitated facial expressions if instructed to do so, but their imitation was both slower and less precise than that of neurotypical individuals. In both groups, a more precise imitation scaled positively with participants' accuracy of emotion recognition. LIMITATIONS: Given the study's focus on adults with autism without intellectual impairment, it is unclear whether the results generalize to children with autism or individuals with intellectual disability. Further, the new automated facial analysis, despite being less intrusive than electromyography, might be less sensitive. CONCLUSIONS: Group differences in emotion recognition, imitation and their interrelationships highlight potential for treatment of social interaction problems in individuals with autism.
BACKGROUND: Imitation of facial expressions plays an important role in social functioning. However, little is known about the quality of facial imitation in individuals with autism and its relationship with defining difficulties in emotion recognition. METHODS: We investigated imitation and recognition of facial expressions in 37 individuals with autism spectrum conditions and 43 neurotypical controls. Using a novel computer-based face analysis, we measured instructed imitation of facial emotional expressions and related it to emotion recognition abilities. RESULTS: Individuals with autism imitated facial expressions if instructed to do so, but their imitation was both slower and less precise than that of neurotypical individuals. In both groups, a more precise imitation scaled positively with participants' accuracy of emotion recognition. LIMITATIONS: Given the study's focus on adults with autism without intellectual impairment, it is unclear whether the results generalize to children with autism or individuals with intellectual disability. Further, the new automated facial analysis, despite being less intrusive than electromyography, might be less sensitive. CONCLUSIONS: Group differences in emotion recognition, imitation and their interrelationships highlight potential for treatment of social interaction problems in individuals with autism.
Authors: Magdalena Rychlowska; Elena Cañadas; Adrienne Wood; Eva G Krumhuber; Agneta Fischer; Paula M Niedenthal Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-03-26 Impact factor: 3.240