Atypical facial expressivity in young children with problematic peer relationships

Howe-Davies, Holly, Manstead, Antony S . R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7540-2096 and van Goozen, Stephanie H. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5983-4734 2024. Atypical facial expressivity in young children with problematic peer relationships. Child Psychiatry and Human Development 55 (3) , pp. 695-704. 10.1007/s10578-022-01445-1

Preview

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (857kB) | Preview

Abstract

Peer problems are frequently associated with difficulties in recognizing and appraising the emotions of others. It has been argued that facial responsiveness to others’ emotions—or motor empathy—is a precursor of emotion processing and affective empathy. Although mimicry impairments have been observed in studies of young people with conduct problems, to our knowledge no study has examined facial responsiveness to others’ expressions in young children and examined how this relates to peer relationship problems. Four- to 7-year-old children (n = 91) with or without teacher-reported peer relationship problems (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire) viewed three dynamic film clips depicting a sad, happy, or scared child, while their spontaneous facial emotional responses were assessed using iMotions software that codes the movement of facial muscles. Children displayed facial expressivity that was congruent with the emotional expressions in the clips. Groups with and without peer problems did not differ in their responses to seeing a happy child. However, children with peer problems exhibited reduced or atypical facial emotional responses to the negative emotional clips. Decreased or atypical facial expressivity to negative emotions was also associated with severity of peer problems; atypical facial responsivity to sadness and reduced facial responsivity to fear predicted peer problems independently of one another. We conclude that reduced or atypical facial expressiveness in response to other children’s dynamic facial expressions is associated with problematic peer relations in young children. The implications for early identification and interventions to support prosocial development are discussed.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Psychology
Publisher:	Springer Verlag
ISSN:	0009-398X
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	4 October 2022
Date of Acceptance:	12 September 2022
Last Modified:	10 Jun 2024 11:37
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/153037

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item