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Reed ZE, Suddell S, Eastwood A, Thomas L, Dwyer I, Penton-Voak IS, Jarrold C, Munafò MR, Attwood AS. Assessing the effectiveness of online emotion recognition training in healthy volunteers. R Soc Open Sci 2023; 10:230372. [PMID: 37771966 PMCID: PMC10523077 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Facial emotion recognition (ER) difficulties are associated with mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism and poorer social functioning. ER interventions may therefore have clinical potential. We investigated the efficacy of ER training (ERT). We conducted three online studies with healthy volunteers completing one ERT session. Studies 1 and 2 included active and control/sham training groups and tested the efficacy of (i) four-emotion ERT (angry, happy, sad and scared) (n = 101), and (ii) six-emotion ERT (adding disgusted and surprised) (n = 109). Study 3 tested generalizability of ERT to non-trained stimuli with groups trained and tested on the same stimuli, or different stimuli (n = 120). Training effects on total correct hits were estimated using linear mixed effects models. We did not observe clear evidence of improvement in study 1 but note the effect was in the direction of improvement (b = 0.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.02 to 0.07). Study 2 indicated greater total hits following training (b = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.03-0.12). Study 3 demonstrated similar improvement across groups (b = -0.01, 95% CI = -0.05 to 0.02). Our results indicate improved ER (as measured by our task), which generalizes to different facial stimulus sets. Future studies should further explore generalizability, longer-term effects and ERT in populations with known ER difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe E. Reed
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
| | - Steph Suddell
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Andy Eastwood
- Psychology, Department of Social Sciences, UWE, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK
| | - Lilian Thomas
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
| | - Imogen Dwyer
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
| | - Ian S. Penton-Voak
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | | | - Marcus R. Munafò
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Angela S. Attwood
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
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de Nooij L, Adams MJ, Hawkins EL, Romaniuk L, Munafò MR, Penton-Voak IS, Elliott R, Bland AR, Waiter GD, Sandu AL, Habota T, Steele JD, Murray AD, Campbell A, Porteous DJ, McIntosh AM, Whalley HC. Associations of negative affective biases and depressive symptoms in a community-based sample. Psychol Med 2023; 53:5518-5527. [PMID: 36128632 PMCID: PMC10482721 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722002720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) was previously associated with negative affective biases. Evidence from larger population-based studies, however, is lacking, including whether biases normalise with remission. We investigated associations between affective bias measures and depressive symptom severity across a large community-based sample, followed by examining differences between remitted individuals and controls. METHODS Participants from Generation Scotland (N = 1109) completed the: (i) Bristol Emotion Recognition Task (BERT), (ii) Face Affective Go/No-go (FAGN), and (iii) Cambridge Gambling Task (CGT). Individuals were classified as MDD-current (n = 43), MDD-remitted (n = 282), or controls (n = 784). Analyses included using affective bias summary measures (primary analyses), followed by detailed emotion/condition analyses of BERT and FAGN (secondary analyses). RESULTS For summary measures, the only significant finding was an association between greater symptoms and lower risk adjustment for CGT across the sample (individuals with greater symptoms were less likely to bet more, despite increasingly favourable conditions). This was no longer significant when controlling for non-affective cognition. No differences were found for remitted-MDD v. controls. Detailed analysis of BERT and FAGN indicated subtle negative biases across multiple measures of affective cognition with increasing symptom severity, that were independent of non-effective cognition [e.g. greater tendency to rate faces as angry (BERT), and lower accuracy for happy/neutral conditions (FAGN)]. Results for remitted-MDD were inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS This suggests the presence of subtle negative affective biases at the level of emotion/condition in association with depressive symptoms across the sample, over and above those accounted for by non-affective cognition, with no evidence for affective biases in remitted individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura de Nooij
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mark J Adams
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Emma L Hawkins
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Liana Romaniuk
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Rebecca Elliott
- Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Amy R Bland
- Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Gordon D Waiter
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Anca-Larisa Sandu
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Tina Habota
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - J Douglas Steele
- Division of Imaging Science and Technology, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Alison D Murray
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Archie Campbell
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - David J Porteous
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Suddell S, Mahedy L, Skirrow C, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR, Wootton RE. Cognitive functioning in anxiety and depression: results from the ALSPAC cohort. R Soc Open Sci 2023; 10:221161. [PMID: 37564071 PMCID: PMC10410209 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety and depression are associated with a range of impairments in cognitive functioning. Understanding the nature of these deficits may identify targets for intervention and prevent functional decline. We used observational and genetic methods to investigate the relationship of anxiety and depression with three cognitive domains: emotion recognition, response inhibition, and working memory, in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We examined: (i) cross-sectional associations between anxiety, depression, and cognition at age 24 (n = 2187), (ii) prospective associations between anxiety and depression at age 18 and cognition at age 24 (n = 1855), and (iii) the casual effect of anxiety and depression on cognition using Mendelian randomization (MR). Both disorders were associated with altered emotion recognition; anxiety with decreased happiness recognition (b = -0.27 [-0.54,0.01], p = 0.045), and depression with increased sadness recognition (b = 0.35 [0.07,0.64], p = 0.016). Anxiety was also associated with poorer working memory (b = -0.14 [-0.24,0.04], p = 0.005). There was no evidence for an association with response inhibition. MR provided no clear evidence of causal relationships between mental health and cognition, but these analyses were underpowered. Overall, there was little evidence for impairments in executive functioning, but moderate alterations in emotion recognition. This may inform the development of psychosocial interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steph Suddell
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiological Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Liam Mahedy
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiological Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Caroline Skirrow
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Cambridge Cognition, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ian S. Penton-Voak
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Marcus R. Munafò
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiological Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Robyn E. Wootton
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiological Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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House T, Graham K, Ellis B, Bould H, Attwood AS, Stephen ID, Brooks KR, Penton-Voak IS. Is body dissatisfaction related to an attentional bias towards low weight bodies in non-clinical samples of women? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Body Image 2023; 44:103-119. [PMID: 36563472 DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Body dissatisfaction is defined as the negative subjective evaluation of one's body and is considered a risk factor for, and symptom of, eating disorders. Some studies show women with high body dissatisfaction display an attentional bias towards low weight bodies; however, this finding is not consistent, and results are yet to be systematically synthesised. We conducted a qualitative and quantitative synthesis of cross-sectional studies investigating the relationship between body dissatisfaction and attentional bias to low weight bodies in non-clinical samples of women. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ProQuest, and OpenGrey for studies up until September 2022. We identified 34 eligible studies involving a total of 2857 women. A meta-analysis of 26 studies (75 effects) found some evidence from gaze tracking studies for a positive association between body dissatisfaction and attentional bias to low weight bodies. We found no evidence for an association from studies measuring attention using the dot probe task, electroencephalogram (EEG) recording, or the modified spatial cueing task. The results together provide partial support for the positive association between body dissatisfaction and attentional bias to low weight bodies in women. These findings can be used to inform future attentional bias research.
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Affiliation(s)
- T House
- School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia; School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.
| | - K Graham
- Cumbria Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
| | - B Ellis
- EPSRC CDT in Digital Health and Care, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - H Bould
- Centre for Academic Mental Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, United Kingdom; Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, Centre for Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, United Kingdom; MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - A S Attwood
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, United Kingdom; MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - I D Stephen
- NTU Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - K R Brooks
- School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - I S Penton-Voak
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, United Kingdom
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Suddell S, Müller-Glodde M, Lumsden J, Looi CY, Granger K, Barnett JH, Robinson OJ, Munafò MR, Penton-Voak IS. Emotional bias training as a treatment for anxiety and depression: evidence from experimental medicine studies in healthy and medicated samples. Psychol Med 2023; 53:696-705. [PMID: 34057058 PMCID: PMC9975995 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721002014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anxiety and depression are leading causes of disability worldwide, yet individuals are often unable to access appropriate treatment. There is a need to develop effective interventions that can be delivered remotely. Previous research has suggested that emotional processing biases are a potential target for intervention, and these may be altered through brief training programs. METHODS We report two experimental medicine studies of emotional bias training in two samples: individuals from the general population (n = 522) and individuals currently taking antidepressants to treat anxiety or depression (n = 212). Participants, recruited online, completed four sessions of EBT from their own home. Mental health and cognitive functioning outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately post-training, and at 2-week follow-up. RESULTS In both studies, our intervention successfully trained participants to perceive ambiguous social information more positively. This persisted at a 2-week follow-up. There was no clear evidence that this change in emotional processing transferred to improvements in symptoms in the primary analyses. However, in both studies, there was weak evidence for improved quality of life following EBT amongst individuals with more depressive symptoms at baseline. No clear evidence of transfer effects was observed for self-reported daily stress, anhedonia or depressive symptoms. Exploratory analyses suggested that younger participants reported greater treatment gains. CONCLUSIONS These studies demonstrate the effectiveness of delivering a multi-session online training program to promote lasting cognitive changes. Given the inconsistent evidence for transfer effects, EBT requires further development before it can be considered as a treatment for anxiety and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steph Suddell
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Maren Müller-Glodde
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
| | - Jim Lumsden
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Chung Yen Looi
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
- Cambridge Cognition Ltd., Tunbridge Court, Tunbridge Lane, Bottisham, Cambridge CB25 9TU, UK
| | - Kiri Granger
- Cambridge Cognition Ltd., Tunbridge Court, Tunbridge Lane, Bottisham, Cambridge CB25 9TU, UK
| | - Jennifer H. Barnett
- Cambridge Cognition Ltd., Tunbridge Court, Tunbridge Lane, Bottisham, Cambridge CB25 9TU, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Oliver J. Robinson
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, Alexandra House, 17-19 Queen Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Marcus R. Munafò
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Ian S. Penton-Voak
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
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Habota T, Sandu AL, Waiter GD, McNeil CJ, Steele JD, Macfarlane JA, Whalley HC, Valentine R, Younie D, Crouch N, Hawkins EL, Hirose Y, Romaniuk L, Milburn K, Buchan G, Coupar T, Stirling M, Jagpal B, MacLennan B, Priba L, Harris MA, Hafferty JD, Adams MJ, Campbell AI, MacIntyre DJ, Pattie A, Murphy L, Reynolds RM, Elliot R, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR, Evans KL, Seckl JR, Wardlaw JM, Lawrie SM, Haley CS, Porteous DJ, Deary IJ, Murray AD, McIntosh AM. Cohort profile for the STratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally (STRADL) study: A depression-focused investigation of Generation Scotland, using detailed clinical, cognitive, and neuroimaging assessments. Wellcome Open Res 2022; 4:185. [PMID: 35237729 PMCID: PMC8857525 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15538.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
STratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally (STRADL) is a population-based study built on the Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study (GS:SFHS) resource. The aim of STRADL is to subtype major depressive disorder (MDD) on the basis of its aetiology, using detailed clinical, cognitive, and brain imaging assessments. The GS:SFHS provides an important opportunity to study complex gene-environment interactions, incorporating linkage to existing datasets and inclusion of early-life variables for two longitudinal birth cohorts. Specifically, data collection in STRADL included: socio-economic and lifestyle variables; physical measures; questionnaire data that assesses resilience, early-life adversity, personality, psychological health, and lifetime history of mood disorder; laboratory samples; cognitive tests; and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Some of the questionnaire and cognitive data were first assessed at the GS:SFHS baseline assessment between 2006-2011, thus providing longitudinal measures relevant to the study of depression, psychological resilience, and cognition. In addition, routinely collected historic NHS data and early-life variables are linked to STRADL data, further providing opportunities for longitudinal analysis. Recruitment has been completed and we consented and tested 1,188 participants.
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Haller SP, Stoddard J, Botz-Zapp C, Clayton M, MacGillivray C, Perhamus G, Stiles K, Kircanski K, Penton-Voak IS, Bar-Haim Y, Munafò M, Towbin KE, Brotman MA. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Computerized Interpretation Bias Training for Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: A Fast-Fail Study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2022; 61:37-45. [PMID: 34147585 PMCID: PMC8678378 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine targeted, mechanism-based interventions is the next generation of treatment innovation. Biased threat labeling of ambiguous face emotions (interpretation bias) is a potential behavioral treatment target for anger, aggression, and irritability. Changing biases in face-emotion labeling may improve irritability-related outcomes. Here, we report the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled targeted trial of interpretation bias training (IBT) in youths with chronic, severe irritability. METHOD Patients with current disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD; N = 44) were randomly assigned to complete 4 sessions of active (n = 22) or sham (n = 22) computerized IBT training within a 1-week period. The first and last trainings were completed onsite, and 2 trainings were completed at home. We examined the effects of active IBT on labeling bias, primary outcome measures of irritability, and secondary outcome measures of anxiety, depression, and functional impairment. Follow-up assessments were completed immediately after the intervention as well as 1 and 2 weeks later. RESULTS We found that active IBT engaged the behavioral target in the active relative to the sham condition, as shown by a significant shift toward labeling ambiguous faces as happy. However, there was no consistent clinical improvement in active IBT relative to the sham condition either immediately after or 2 weeks after training in either the primary or secondary outcome measures. CONCLUSION Although this randomized controlled trial of IBT in youths with DMDD engaged the proposed behavioral target, there was no statistically significant improvement on clinical outcome. Identifying and changing behavioral targets is a first step in novel treatment development; these results have broader implications for target-based intervention development. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION Psychological Treatments for Youth With Severe Irritability; https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT02531893.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone P. Haller
- National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Joel Stoddard
- University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Christian Botz-Zapp
- National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Michal Clayton
- National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Caroline MacGillivray
- National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Gretchen Perhamus
- National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Kelsey Stiles
- National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Katharina Kircanski
- National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | | | | | - Kenneth E. Towbin
- National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Melissa A. Brotman
- National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Ford KD, Penton-Voak IS, Pound N. Justice is (not so) blind: Effects of facial masculinity and agreeableness on perceptions of criminal guilt. Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences 2022. [DOI: 10.1037/ebs0000246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Dyer ML, Attwood AS, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR. The role of state and trait anxiety in the processing of facial expressions of emotion. R Soc Open Sci 2022; 9:210056. [PMID: 35070339 PMCID: PMC8728173 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
State anxiety appears to influence facial emotion processing (Attwood et al. 2017 R. Soc. Open Sci. 4, 160855). We aimed to (i) replicate these findings and (ii) investigate the role of trait anxiety, in an experiment with healthy UK participants (N = 48, 50% male, 50% high trait anxiety). High and low state anxiety were induced via inhalations of 7.5% carbon dioxide enriched air and medical air, respectively. High state anxiety reduced global emotion recognition accuracy (p = 0.01, η p 2 = 0.14 ), but it did not affect interpretation bias towards perceiving anger in ambiguous angry-happy facial morphs (p = 0.18, η p 2 = 0.04 ). We found no clear evidence of a relationship between trait anxiety and global emotion recognition accuracy (p = 0.60, η p 2 = 0.01 ) or interpretation bias towards perceiving anger (p = 0.83, η p 2 = 0.01 ). However, there was greater interpretation bias towards perceiving anger (i.e. away from happiness) during heightened state anxiety, among individuals with high trait anxiety (p = 0.03, d z = 0.33). State anxiety appears to impair emotion recognition accuracy, and among individuals with high trait anxiety, it appears to increase biases towards perceiving anger (away from happiness). Trait anxiety alone does not appear to be associated with facial emotion processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddy L. Dyer
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Angela S. Attwood
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ian S. Penton-Voak
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK
| | - Marcus R. Munafò
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK
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Habota T, Sandu AL, Waiter GD, McNeil CJ, Steele JD, Macfarlane JA, Whalley HC, Valentine R, Younie D, Crouch N, Hawkins EL, Hirose Y, Romaniuk L, Milburn K, Buchan G, Coupar T, Stirling M, Jagpal B, MacLennan B, Priba L, Harris MA, Hafferty JD, Adams MJ, Campbell AI, MacIntyre DJ, Pattie A, Murphy L, Reynolds RM, Elliot R, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR, Evans KL, Seckl JR, Wardlaw JM, Lawrie SM, Haley CS, Porteous DJ, Deary IJ, Murray AD, McIntosh AM. Cohort profile for the STratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally (STRADL) study: A depression-focused investigation of Generation Scotland, using detailed clinical, cognitive, and neuroimaging assessments. Wellcome Open Res 2021; 4:185. [PMID: 35237729 PMCID: PMC8857525 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15538.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
STratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally (STRADL) is a population-based study built on the Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study (GS:SFHS) resource. The aim of STRADL is to subtype major depressive disorder (MDD) on the basis of its aetiology, using detailed clinical, cognitive, and brain imaging assessments. The GS:SFHS provides an important opportunity to study complex gene-environment interactions, incorporating linkage to existing datasets and inclusion of early-life variables for two longitudinal birth cohorts. Specifically, data collection in STRADL included: socio-economic and lifestyle variables; physical measures; questionnaire data that assesses resilience, early-life adversity, personality, psychological health, and lifetime history of mood disorder; laboratory samples; cognitive tests; and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Some of the questionnaire and cognitive data were first assessed at the GS:SFHS baseline assessment between 2006-2011, thus providing longitudinal measures relevant to the study of depression, psychological resilience, and cognition. In addition, routinely collected historic NHS data and early-life variables are linked to STRADL data, further providing opportunities for longitudinal analysis. Recruitment has been completed and we consented and tested 1,188 participants.
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Penton-Voak IS, Adams S, Button KS, Fluharty M, Dalili M, Browning M, Holmes EA, Harmer CJ, Munafò MR. Emotional recognition training modifies neural response to emotional faces but does not improve mood in healthy volunteers with high levels of depressive symptoms. Psychol Med 2021; 51:1211-1219. [PMID: 32063231 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291719004124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is demand for new, effective and scalable treatments for depression, and development of new forms of cognitive bias modification (CBM) of negative emotional processing biases has been suggested as possible interventions to meet this need. METHODS We report two double blind RCTs, in which volunteers with high levels of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory ii (BDI-ii) > 14) completed a brief course of emotion recognition training (a novel form of CBM using faces) or sham training. In Study 1 (N = 36), participants completed a post-training emotion recognition task whilst undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate neural correlates of CBM. In Study 2 (N = 190), measures of mood were assessed post-training, and at 2-week and 6-week follow-up. RESULTS In both studies, CBM resulted in an initial change in emotion recognition bias, which (in Study 2) persisted for 6 weeks after the end of training. In Study 1, CBM resulted in increases neural activation to happy faces, with this effect driven by an increase in neural activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and bilateral amygdala. In Study 2, CBM did not lead to a reduction in depressive symptoms on the BDI-ii, or on related measures of mood, motivation and persistence, or depressive interpretation bias at either 2 or 6-week follow-ups. CONCLUSIONS CBM of emotion recognition has effects on neural activity that are similar in some respects to those induced by Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) administration (Study 1), but we find no evidence that this had any later effect on self-reported mood in an analogue sample of non-clinical volunteers with low mood (Study 2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Sally Adams
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | | | - Meg Fluharty
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Michael Dalili
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Michael Browning
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
| | - Emily A Holmes
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Catherine J Harmer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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12
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Research suggests that acute alcohol consumption impairs processing of emotional faces. As emotion processing plays a key role in effective social interaction, these impairments may be one mechanism by which alcohol changes social behaviour. This study investigated the effect of individual differences on this relationship by comparing emotion recognition performance after acute alcohol consumption in individuals with high and low trait aggression. METHODS Regular non-dependent drinkers, either high or low in trait aggression participated in a double-blind placebo-controlled experiment (N = 88, 50% high trait aggressive). Participants attended two sessions. In one they consumed an alcoholic drink (0.4 g/kg) and in the other they consumed a matched placebo. They then completed two computer-based tasks: one measured global and emotion-specific recognition performance across six primary emotions (anger, sadness, happiness, disgust, fear, surprise), the other measured processing bias of two ambiguously expressive faces (happy-angry/happy-sad). RESULTS There was evidence of poorer global emotion recognition after alcohol. In addition, there was evidence of poorer sensitivity to sadness and fear after alcohol. There was also evidence for a reduced bias towards happiness following alcohol and weak evidence for an increased bias towards sadness. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that alcohol impairs global emotion recognition. They also highlight a reduced ability to detect sadness and fearful facial expressions. As sadness and fear are cues of submission and distress (i.e. function to curtail aggression), failure to successfully detect these emotions when intoxicated may increase the likelihood of aggressive responding. This coupled with a reduced bias towards seeing happiness may collectively contribute to aggressive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew PR Eastwood
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit
at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol
Studies, School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol,
UK
| | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol
Studies, School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol,
UK
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit
at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol
Studies, School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol,
UK
| | - Angela S Attwood
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit
at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol
Studies, School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol,
UK
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13
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Lawn RB, Sallis HM, Wootton RE, Taylor AE, Demange P, Fraser A, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR. The effects of age at menarche and first sexual intercourse on reproductive and behavioural outcomes: A Mendelian randomization study. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234488. [PMID: 32542040 PMCID: PMC7295202 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
There is substantial variation in the timing of significant reproductive life events such as menarche and first sexual intercourse. Life history theory explains this variation as an adaptive response to an individual's environment and it is important to examine how traits within life history strategies affect each other. Here we applied Mendelian randomization (MR) methods to investigate whether there is a causal effect of variation in age at menarche and age at first sexual intercourse (markers or results of exposure to early life adversity) on outcomes related to reproduction, education and risky behaviour in UK Biobank (N = 114 883-181 255). Our results suggest that earlier age at menarche affects some traits that characterize life history strategies including earlier age at first and last birth, decreased educational attainment, and decreased age at leaving education (for example, we found evidence for a 0.26 year decrease in age at first birth per year decrease in age at menarche, 95% confidence interval: -0.34 to -0.17; p < 0.001). We find no clear evidence of effects of age at menarche on other outcomes, such as risk taking behaviour. Age at first sexual intercourse was also related to many life history outcomes, although there was evidence of horizontal pleiotropy which violates an assumption of MR and we therefore cannot infer causality from this analysis. Taken together, these results highlight how MR can be applied to test predictions of life history theory and to better understand determinants of health and social behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca B. Lawn
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah M. Sallis
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Robyn E. Wootton
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Amy E. Taylor
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Perline Demange
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Département d’Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France
| | - Abigail Fraser
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ian S. Penton-Voak
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Marcus R. Munafò
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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14
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Khouja JN, Attwood AS, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR. Corrigendum to Effects of acute alcohol consumption on emotion recognition in social alcohol drinkers. J Psychopharmacol 2020; 34:586-587. [PMID: 32009487 PMCID: PMC7290401 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120902710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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15
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Bone JK, Lewis G, Button KS, Duffy L, Harmer CJ, Munafò MR, Penton-Voak IS, Wiles NJ, Lewis G. Variation in recognition of happy and sad facial expressions and self-reported depressive symptom severity: A prospective cohort study. J Affect Disord 2019; 257:461-469. [PMID: 31310908 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cognitive theories suggest people with depression interpret self-referential social information negatively. However, it is unclear whether these biases precede or follow depression. We investigated whether facial expression recognition was associated with depressive symptoms cross-sectionally and longitudinally. METHODS Prospective cohort study of people who had visited UK primary care in the past year reporting depressive symptoms (n = 509). Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) at four time-points, 2 weeks apart. A computerised task assessed happy and sad facial expression recognition at three time-points (n = 505 at time 1). The unbiased hit rate measured ability to recognise emotions accounting for any general tendency to identify the emotion when it was not present. RESULTS The sample included the full range of depressive symptom severity, with 45% meeting diagnostic criteria for depression. There was no evidence that happy or sad unbiased hit rates were associated with concurrent or subsequent depressive symptoms. There was weak evidence that, for every additional face incorrectly classified as happy, concurrent PHQ-9 scores reduced by 0.05 of a point (95% CI = -0.10 to 0.002, p = 0.06 after adjustment for confounders). This association was strongest for more ambiguous facial expressions (interaction term p<0.001). LIMITATIONS This was an observational study with relatively short follow-up (6 weeks) and small changes in depressive symptoms and emotion recognition. Only 7% of invited patients consented to participate. CONCLUSIONS Reduced misclassifications of ambiguous faces as happy could be a state marker of depression, but was not associated with subsequent depressive symptoms. Future research should focus on the interpretation of ambiguous social information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica K Bone
- Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7NF, UK.
| | - Gemma Lewis
- Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7NF, UK
| | | | - Larisa Duffy
- Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7NF, UK
| | | | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Nicola J Wiles
- Centre for Academic Mental Health, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Glyn Lewis
- Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, 6th Floor, Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7NF, UK
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16
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Griffiths S, Jarrold C, Penton-Voak IS, Woods AT, Skinner AL, Munafò MR. Impaired Recognition of Basic Emotions from Facial Expressions in Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Assessing the Importance of Expression Intensity. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:2768-2778. [PMID: 28361375 PMCID: PMC6606653 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3091-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
It has been proposed that impairments in emotion recognition in ASD are greater for more subtle expressions of emotion. We measured recognition of 6 basic facial expressions at 8 intensity levels in young people (6-16 years) with ASD (N = 63) and controls (N = 64) via an Internet platform. Participants with ASD were less accurate than controls at labelling expressions across intensity levels, although differences at very low levels were not detected due to floor effects. Recognition accuracy did not correlate with parent-reported social functioning in either group. These findings provide further evidence for an impairment in recognition of basic emotion in ASD and do not support the idea that this impairment is limited solely to low intensity expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Griffiths
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. .,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU), University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. .,Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | | | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Andy L Skinner
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU), University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU), University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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17
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Lawn RB, Sallis HM, Taylor AE, Wootton RE, Davey Smith G, Davies NM, Hemani G, Fraser A, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR. Comment on the Relationship Between Common Variant Schizophrenia Liability and Number of Offspring in the UK Biobank. Am J Psychiatry 2019; 176:573-574. [PMID: 31256616 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19010071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca B Lawn
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Davey Smith, Davies, Hemani, Fraser, Munafò), School of Psychological Science (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Penton-Voak, Munafò), and Bristol Medical School (Sallis, Taylor, Davey Smith, Davies, Fraser), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (Taylor)
| | - Hannah M Sallis
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Davey Smith, Davies, Hemani, Fraser, Munafò), School of Psychological Science (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Penton-Voak, Munafò), and Bristol Medical School (Sallis, Taylor, Davey Smith, Davies, Fraser), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (Taylor)
| | - Amy E Taylor
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Davey Smith, Davies, Hemani, Fraser, Munafò), School of Psychological Science (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Penton-Voak, Munafò), and Bristol Medical School (Sallis, Taylor, Davey Smith, Davies, Fraser), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (Taylor)
| | - Robyn E Wootton
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Davey Smith, Davies, Hemani, Fraser, Munafò), School of Psychological Science (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Penton-Voak, Munafò), and Bristol Medical School (Sallis, Taylor, Davey Smith, Davies, Fraser), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (Taylor)
| | - George Davey Smith
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Davey Smith, Davies, Hemani, Fraser, Munafò), School of Psychological Science (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Penton-Voak, Munafò), and Bristol Medical School (Sallis, Taylor, Davey Smith, Davies, Fraser), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (Taylor)
| | - Neil M Davies
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Davey Smith, Davies, Hemani, Fraser, Munafò), School of Psychological Science (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Penton-Voak, Munafò), and Bristol Medical School (Sallis, Taylor, Davey Smith, Davies, Fraser), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (Taylor)
| | - Gibran Hemani
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Davey Smith, Davies, Hemani, Fraser, Munafò), School of Psychological Science (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Penton-Voak, Munafò), and Bristol Medical School (Sallis, Taylor, Davey Smith, Davies, Fraser), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (Taylor)
| | - Abigail Fraser
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Davey Smith, Davies, Hemani, Fraser, Munafò), School of Psychological Science (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Penton-Voak, Munafò), and Bristol Medical School (Sallis, Taylor, Davey Smith, Davies, Fraser), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (Taylor)
| | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Davey Smith, Davies, Hemani, Fraser, Munafò), School of Psychological Science (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Penton-Voak, Munafò), and Bristol Medical School (Sallis, Taylor, Davey Smith, Davies, Fraser), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (Taylor)
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Davey Smith, Davies, Hemani, Fraser, Munafò), School of Psychological Science (Lawn, Sallis, Wootton, Penton-Voak, Munafò), and Bristol Medical School (Sallis, Taylor, Davey Smith, Davies, Fraser), University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Center, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom (Taylor)
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18
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Lawn RB, Sallis HM, Taylor AE, Wootton RE, Smith GD, Davies NM, Hemani G, Fraser A, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR. Schizophrenia risk and reproductive success: a Mendelian randomization study. R Soc Open Sci 2019; 6:181049. [PMID: 31031992 PMCID: PMC6458425 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.181049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a debilitating and heritable mental disorder associated with lower reproductive success. However, the prevalence of schizophrenia is stable over populations and time, resulting in an evolutionary puzzle: how is schizophrenia maintained in the population, given its apparent fitness costs? One possibility is that increased genetic liability for schizophrenia, in the absence of the disorder itself, may confer some reproductive advantage. We assessed the correlation and causal effect of genetic liability for schizophrenia with number of children, age at first birth and number of sexual partners using data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and UK Biobank. Linkage disequilibrium score regression showed little evidence of genetic correlation between genetic liability for schizophrenia and number of children (r g = 0.002, p = 0.84), age at first birth (r g = -0.007, p = 0.45) or number of sexual partners (r g = 0.007, p = 0.42). Mendelian randomization indicated no robust evidence of a causal effect of genetic liability for schizophrenia on number of children (mean difference: 0.003 increase in number of children per doubling in the natural log odds ratio of schizophrenia risk, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.003 to 0.009, p = 0.39) or age at first birth (-0.004 years lower age at first birth, 95% CI: -0.043 to 0.034, p = 0.82). We find some evidence of a positive effect of genetic liability for schizophrenia on number of sexual partners (0.165 increase in the number of sexual partners, 95% CI: 0.117-0.212, p = 5.30×10-10). These results suggest that increased genetic liability for schizophrenia does not confer a fitness advantage but does increase mating success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca B. Lawn
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
| | - Hannah M. Sallis
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Amy E. Taylor
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
| | - Robyn E. Wootton
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
| | - George Davey Smith
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Neil M. Davies
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Gibran Hemani
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Abigail Fraser
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Ian S. Penton-Voak
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
| | - Marcus R. Munafò
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
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19
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Research suggests that acute alcohol consumption alters recognition of emotional expressions. Extending this work, we investigated the effects of alcohol on recognition of six primary expressions of emotion. METHODS We conducted two studies using a 2 × 6 experimental design with a between-subjects factor of drink (alcohol, placebo) and a within-subjects factor of emotion (anger, disgust, sadness, surprise, happiness, fear). Study one ( n = 110) was followed by a direct replication study ( n = 192). Participants completed a six alternative forced choice emotion recognition task following consumption of 0.4 g/kg alcohol or placebo. Dependent variables were recognition accuracy (i.e. hits) and false alarms. RESULTS There was no clear evidence of differences in recognition accuracy between groups ( ps > .58). In study one, there were more false alarms for anger in the alcohol compared to placebo group ( n = 52 and 56, respectively; t(94.6) = 2.26, p = .024, d = .44) and fewer false alarms for happiness ( t(106) = -2.42, p = .017, d = -.47). However, no clear evidence for these effects was found in study two (alcohol group n = 96, placebo group n = 93, ps > .22). When the data were combined we observed weak evidence of an effect of alcohol on false alarms of anger ( t(295) = 2.25, p = .025, d = .26). CONCLUSIONS These studies find weak support for biased anger perception following acute alcohol consumption in social consumers, which could have implications for alcohol-related aggression. Future research should investigate the robustness of this effect, particularly in individuals high in trait aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine N Khouja
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit,
University of Bristol, Bristol, UK,School of Psychological Science,
University of Bristol, Bristol, UK,UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol
Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK,Jasmine N Khouja, School of Psychological
Science, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol, BS8 1TU, UK.
| | - Angela S Attwood
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit,
University of Bristol, Bristol, UK,School of Psychological Science,
University of Bristol, Bristol, UK,UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol
Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Marcus R Munafò
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit,
University of Bristol, Bristol, UK,School of Psychological Science,
University of Bristol, Bristol, UK,UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol
Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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20
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Haller SP, Stoddard J, MacGillivray C, Stiles K, Perhamus G, Penton-Voak IS, Bar-Haim Y, Munafò MR, Brotman MA. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of a computer-based Interpretation Bias Training for youth with severe irritability: a study protocol. Trials 2018; 19:626. [PMID: 30428909 PMCID: PMC6237001 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-018-2960-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Severe, chronic, and impairing irritability is a common presenting clinical problem in youth. Indeed, it was recently operationalized as disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) in the DSM-5. However, to date, there are no evidence-based treatments that were specifically developed for DMDD. The current randomized controlled trial assesses the efficacy of a computer-based cognitive training intervention (Interpretation Bias Training; IBT) in youth with DMDD. IBT aims to reduce irritability by altering judgments of ambiguous face-emotions through computerized feedback. IBT is based on previous findings that youth with irritability-related psychopathology rate ambiguous faces as more hostile and fear producing. Methods/design This is a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of IBT in 40 youth with DMDD. Participants will be randomized to receive four IBT sessions (Active vs. Sham training) over 4 days. Active IBT provides computerized feedback to change ambiguous face-emotion interpretations towards happy interpretations. Face-emotion judgments are performed pre and post training, and for 2 weeks following training. Blinded clinicians will conduct weekly clinical ratings. Primary outcome measures assess changes in irritability using the clinician-rated Affective Reactivity Index (ARI) and Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I) scale for DMDD, as well as parent and child reports of irritability using the ARI. Secondary outcome measures include clinician ratings of depression, anxiety, and overall impairment. In addition, parent and child self-report measures of depression, anxiety, anger, social status, and aggression will be collected. Discussion The study described in this protocol will perform the first RCT testing the efficacy of IBT in reducing irritability in youth with DMDD. Developing non-pharmacological treatment options for youth suffering from severe, chronic irritability is important to potentially augment existing treatments. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02531893. Registered on 25 August 2015. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-018-2960-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone P Haller
- Section on Mood Dysregulation and Neuroscience, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 15K, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Joel Stoddard
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, USA
| | | | - Kelsey Stiles
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Gretchen Perhamus
- Section on Mood Dysregulation and Neuroscience, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 15K, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Yair Bar-Haim
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Melissa A Brotman
- Section on Mood Dysregulation and Neuroscience, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 15K, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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21
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Dunn EC, Crawford KM, Soare TW, Button KS, Raffeld MR, Smith AD, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR. Exposure to childhood adversity and deficits in emotion recognition: results from a large, population-based sample. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2018; 59:845-854. [PMID: 29512866 PMCID: PMC6041167 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emotion recognition skills are essential for social communication. Deficits in these skills have been implicated in mental disorders. Prior studies of clinical and high-risk samples have consistently shown that children exposed to adversity are more likely than their unexposed peers to have emotion recognition skills deficits. However, only one population-based study has examined this association. METHODS We analyzed data from children participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a prospective birth cohort (n = 6,506). We examined the association between eight adversities, assessed repeatedly from birth to age 8 (caregiver physical or emotional abuse; sexual or physical abuse; maternal psychopathology; one adult in the household; family instability; financial stress; parent legal problems; neighborhood disadvantage) and the ability to recognize facial displays of emotion measured using the faces subtest of the Diagnostic Assessment of Non-Verbal Accuracy (DANVA) at age 8.5 years. In addition to examining the role of exposure (vs. nonexposure) to each type of adversity, we also evaluated the role of the timing, duration, and recency of each adversity using a Least Angle Regression variable selection procedure. RESULTS Over three-quarters of the sample experienced at least one adversity. We found no evidence to support an association between emotion recognition deficits and previous exposure to adversity, either in terms of total lifetime exposure, timing, duration, or recency, or when stratifying by sex. CONCLUSIONS Results from the largest population-based sample suggest that even extreme forms of adversity are unrelated to emotion recognition deficits as measured by the DANVA, suggesting the possible immutability of emotion recognition in the general population. These findings emphasize the importance of population-based studies to generate generalizable results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin C. Dunn
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Katherine M. Crawford
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Thomas W. Soare
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | | | - Miriam R. Raffeld
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Andrew D.A.C. Smith
- Applied Statistics Group, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ian S. Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Marcus R. Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MRC IEU) at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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22
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Bould H, Carnegie R, Allward H, Bacon E, Lambe E, Sapseid M, Button KS, Lewis G, Skinner A, Broome MR, Park R, Harmer CJ, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR. Effects of exposure to bodies of different sizes on perception of and satisfaction with own body size: two randomized studies. R Soc Open Sci 2018; 5:171387. [PMID: 29892352 PMCID: PMC5990741 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Body dissatisfaction is prevalent among women and associated with subsequent obesity and eating disorders. Exposure to images of bodies of different sizes has been suggested to change the perception of 'normal' body size in others. We tested whether exposure to different-sized (otherwise identical) bodies changes perception of own and others' body size, satisfaction with body size and amount of chocolate consumed. In Study 1, 90 18-25-year-old women with normal BMI were randomized into one of three groups to complete a 15 min two-back task using photographs of women either of 'normal weight' (Body Mass Index (BMI) 22-23 kg m-2), or altered to appear either under- or over-weight. Study 2 was identical except the 96 participants had high baseline body dissatisfaction and were followed up after 24 h. We also conducted a mega-analysis combining both studies. Participants rated size of others' bodies, own size, and satisfaction with size pre- and post-task. Post-task ratings were compared between groups, adjusting for pre-task ratings. Participants exposed to over- or normal-weight images subsequently perceived others' bodies as smaller, in comparison to those shown underweight bodies (p < 0.001). They also perceived their own bodies as smaller (Study 1, p = 0.073; Study 2, p = 0.018; mega-analysis, p = 0.001), and felt more satisfied with their size (Study 1, p = 0.046; Study 2, p = 0.004; mega-analysis, p = 0.006). There were no differences in chocolate consumption. This study suggests that a move towards using images of women with a BMI in the healthy range in the media may help to reduce body dissatisfaction, and the associated risk of eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Bould
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre for Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Rebecca Carnegie
- Centre for Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Heather Allward
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Emily Bacon
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Emily Lambe
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Megan Sapseid
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Glyn Lewis
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andy Skinner
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Matthew R. Broome
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Rebecca Park
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Marcus R. Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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23
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Clark AP, Howard KL, Woods AT, Penton-Voak IS, Neumann C. Why rate when you could compare? Using the "EloChoice" package to assess pairwise comparisons of perceived physical strength. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190393. [PMID: 29293615 PMCID: PMC5749798 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We introduce "EloChoice", a package for R which uses Elo rating to assess pairwise comparisons between stimuli in order to measure perceived stimulus characteristics. To demonstrate the package and compare results from forced choice pairwise comparisons to those from more standard single stimulus rating tasks using Likert (or Likert-type) items, we investigated perceptions of physical strength from images of male bodies. The stimulus set comprised images of 82 men standing on a raised platform with minimal clothing. Strength-related anthropometrics and grip strength measurements were available for each man in the set. UK laboratory participants (Study 1) and US online participants (Study 2) viewed all images in both a Likert rating task, to collect mean Likert scores, and a pairwise comparison task, to calculate Elo, mean Elo (mElo), and Bradley-Terry scores. Within both studies, Likert, Elo and Bradley-Terry scores were closely correlated to mElo scores (all rs > 0.95), and all measures were correlated with stimulus grip strength (all rs > 0.38) and body size (all rs > 0.59). However, mElo scores were less variable than Elo scores and were hundreds of times quicker to compute than Bradley-Terry scores. Responses in pairwise comparison trials were 2/3 quicker than in Likert tasks, indicating that participants found pairwise comparisons to be easier. In addition, mElo scores generated from a data set with half the participants randomly excluded produced very comparable results to those produced with Likert scores from the full participant set, indicating that researchers require fewer participants when using pairwise comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andy T. Woods
- Xperiment, Lausanne, Switzerland
- University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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24
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Magnus MC, Anderson EL, Howe LD, Joinson CJ, Penton-Voak IS, Fraser A. Childhood psychosocial adversity and female reproductive timing: a cohort study of the ALSPAC mothers. J Epidemiol Community Health 2018; 72:34-40. [PMID: 29122994 PMCID: PMC5753025 DOI: 10.1136/jech-2017-209488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies of childhood psychosocial adversity and age at menarche mostly evaluated single or a few measures of adversity, and therefore could not quantify total psychosocial adversity. Limited knowledge is currently available regarding childhood psychosocial adversity in relation to age at menopause and reproductive lifespan. METHODS We examined the associations of total and specific components of childhood psychosocial adversity with age at menarche (n=8984), age at menopause (n=945), and length of reproductive lifespan (n=841), in mothers participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. We used confirmatory factor analysis to characterise lack of care, maladaptive family functioning, non-sexual abuse, overprotective parenting, parental mental illness and sexual abuse. These specific components of childhood psychosocial adversity were combined into a total psychosocial adversity score using a second-order factor analysis. We used structural equation models to simultaneously conduct the factor analysis and estimate the association with the continuous outcomes of interest. RESULTS Total childhood psychosocial adversity was not associated with age at menarche, age at menopause or length of reproductive lifespan. When we examined the separate psychosocial adversity constructs, sexual abuse was inversely associated with age at menarche, with a mean difference of -0.17 (95% CI -0.23 to -0.12) years per SD higher factor score, and with age at menopause, with a mean difference of -0.17 (95% CI -0.52 to 0.18) per SD higher factor score. CONCLUSION Childhood sexual abuse was associated with lower age at menarche and menopause, but the latter needs to be confirmed in larger samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C Magnus
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK
- Division for Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Emma L Anderson
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK
| | - Laura D Howe
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Carol J Joinson
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Abigail Fraser
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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25
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Kuin NC, Masthoff EDM, Munafò MR, Penton-Voak IS. Perceiving the evil eye: Investigating hostile interpretation of ambiguous facial emotional expression in violent and non-violent offenders. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187080. [PMID: 29190802 PMCID: PMC5708671 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Research into the causal and perpetuating factors influencing aggression has partly focused on the general tendency of aggression-prone individuals to infer hostile intent in others, even in ambiguous circumstances. This is referred to as the ‘hostile interpretation bias’. Whether this hostile interpretation bias also exists in basal information processing, such as perception of facial emotion, is not yet known, especially with respect to the perception of ambiguous expressions. In addition, little is known about how this potential bias in facial emotion perception is related to specific characteristics of aggression. In the present study, conducted in a penitentiary setting with detained male adults, we investigated if violent offenders (n = 71) show a stronger tendency to interpret ambiguous facial expressions on a computer task as angry rather than happy, compared to non-violent offenders (n = 14) and to a control group of healthy volunteers (n = 32). We also investigated if hostile perception of facial expressions is related to specific characteristics of aggression, such as proactive and reactive aggression. No clear statistical evidence was found that violent offenders perceived facial emotional expressions as more angry than non-violent offenders or healthy volunteers. A regression analysis in the violent offender group showed that only age and a self-report measure of hostility predicted outcome on the emotion perception task. Other traits, such as psychopathic traits, intelligence, attention and a tendency to jump to conclusions were not associated with interpretation of anger in facial emotional expressions. We discuss the possible impact of the study design and population studied on our results, as well as implications for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niki C. Kuin
- Penitentiary Institution Vught, Vught, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Marcus R. Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ian S. Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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26
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Abstract
Traditional impression formation studies have focused almost exclusively on the perception and evaluation of isolated individuals. In recent years, however, portrayals of third-party encounters between two (or more) people have been used increasingly often to probe impressions about the interactions and relations between individuals. This tacit paradigm change has revealed an intriguing scope of judgments that concern how and why people relate to one another. Though these judgments recruit well-known neural networks of impression formation, their underlying cognitive operations and functional significance remain largely speculative. By providing an overview of recent theoretical and empirical approaches on encounter-based impressions, this article highlights their prevalent role in human social cognition.
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27
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Dalili MN, Schofield-Toloza L, Munafò MR, Penton-Voak IS. Emotion recognition training using composite faces generalises across identities but not all emotions. Cogn Emot 2017; 31:858-867. [PMID: 27071005 PMCID: PMC5448393 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2016.1169999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Revised: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Many cognitive bias modification (CBM) tasks use facial expressions of emotion as stimuli. Some tasks use unique facial stimuli, while others use composite stimuli, given evidence that emotion is encoded prototypically. However, CBM using composite stimuli may be identity- or emotion-specific, and may not generalise to other stimuli. We investigated the generalisability of effects using composite faces in two experiments. Healthy adults in each study were randomised to one of four training conditions: two stimulus-congruent conditions, where same faces were used during all phases of the task, and two stimulus-incongruent conditions, where faces of the opposite sex (Experiment 1) or faces depicting another emotion (Experiment 2) were used after the modification phase. Our results suggested that training effects generalised across identities. However, our results indicated only partial generalisation across emotions. These findings suggest effects obtained using composite stimuli may extend beyond the stimuli used in the task but remain emotion-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael N. Dalili
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU), University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Marcus R. Munafò
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU), University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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28
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Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR, Looi CY. Biased Facial-Emotion Perception in Mental Health Disorders: A Possible Target for Psychological Intervention? Curr Dir Psychol Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/0963721417704405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Our perception of emotion in the faces of others affects our own behavior and mood. Indeed, individuals with mood disorders such as depression and aggression often show biases in facial-emotion perception. Here, we review recent and ongoing research suggesting that biased emotion perception may be on the causal pathway of the onset and maintenance of mood disorders, and hence a potential target for intervention. Simple cognitive-bias modification tasks that change participants’ perception of facial expressions of emotion have shown some promise as a therapeutic technique. We outline further directions for continued research investigating the robustness and clinical impact of emotion-bias modification in real-world settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcus R. Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol
| | - Chung Yen Looi
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol
- Cambridge Cognition Ltd., Cambridge, United Kingdom
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29
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Attwood AS, Easey KE, Dalili MN, Skinner AL, Woods A, Crick L, Ilett E, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR. State anxiety and emotional face recognition in healthy volunteers. R Soc Open Sci 2017; 4:160855. [PMID: 28572987 PMCID: PMC5451788 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
High trait anxiety has been associated with detriments in emotional face processing. By contrast, relatively little is known about the effects of state anxiety on emotional face processing. We investigated the effects of state anxiety on recognition of emotional expressions (anger, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear and happiness) experimentally, using the 7.5% carbon dioxide (CO2) model to induce state anxiety, and in a large observational study. The experimental studies indicated reduced global (rather than emotion-specific) emotion recognition accuracy and increased interpretation bias (a tendency to perceive anger over happiness) when state anxiety was heightened. The observational study confirmed that higher state anxiety is associated with poorer emotion recognition, and indicated that negative effects of trait anxiety are negated when controlling for state anxiety, suggesting a mediating effect of state anxiety. These findings may have implications for anxiety disorders, which are characterized by increased frequency, intensity or duration of state anxious episodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela S. Attwood
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Kayleigh E. Easey
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Michael N. Dalili
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Andrew L. Skinner
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Andy Woods
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Lana Crick
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Elizabeth Ilett
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ian S. Penton-Voak
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Marcus R. Munafò
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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30
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Nord CL, Forster S, Halahakoon DC, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR, Roiser JP. Prefrontal cortex stimulation does not affect emotional bias, but may slow emotion identification. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2017; 12:839-847. [PMID: 28158703 PMCID: PMC5460043 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsx007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Revised: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has recently garnered attention as a putative depression treatment. However, the cognitive mechanisms by which it exerts an antidepressant effect are unclear: tDCS may directly alter 'hot' emotional processing biases, or alleviate depression through changes in 'cold' (non-emotional) cognitive function. Here, 75 healthy participants performed a facial emotion identification task during 20 minutes of anodal or sham tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in a double-blind, within-subject crossover design. A subset of 31 participants additionally completed a task measuring attentional distraction during stimulation. Compared to sham stimulation, anodal tDCS of the left DLPFC resulted in an increase in response latency across all emotional conditions. Bayesian analysis showed definitively that tDCS exerted no emotion-dependent effect on behaviour. Thus, we demonstrate that anodal tDCS produces a general, rather than an emotion-specific, effect. We also report a preliminary finding in the subset of participants who completed the distractibility task: increased distractibility during active stimulation correlated significantly with the degree to which tDCS slowed emotion identification. Our results provide insight into the possible mechanisms by which DLPFC tDCS may treat symptoms of depression, suggesting that it may not alter emotional biases, but instead may affect 'cold' cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla L Nord
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sophie Forster
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | | | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Jonathan P Roiser
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
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31
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Gledhill LJ, Cornelissen KK, Cornelissen PL, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR, Tovée MJ. An interactive training programme to treat body image disturbance. Br J Health Psychol 2016; 22:60-76. [PMID: 27813208 PMCID: PMC5248599 DOI: 10.1111/bjhp.12217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a life‐threatening mental health condition. A core feature is a disturbance of body image, such that sufferers see themselves as fatter than they actually are. Design We tested the effectiveness of a novel training programme to recalibrate our participants’ perception of body size. Methods In a novel adaptation of a cognitive bias training programme, participants judged the body size of a series of female bodies and were given feedback to improve their accuracy over four daily training sessions. In Study 1, we recruited young women with high concerns about their body size for a randomized controlled study. In Study 2, we then applied the training programme to a case series of women with atypical AN. Results In Study 1, the training programme significantly improved the body size judgements of women with high body concerns compared to controls. We also found evidence of improved body image and reduced eating concerns in this group. In Study 2, the programme again recalibrated the body size judgements of women with atypical AN. We also saw evidence of a clinically meaningful reduction in their body size and eating‐disordered concerns. Conclusions This training has the potential to be a valuable treatment used together with more traditional talking therapies. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? A core feature of anorexia nervosa (AN) is an overestimation of body size; sufferers believe themselves to be larger than they are in reality. This study shows that an individual's perceptual boundary between what they classify as a fat versus a thin body is not immutable; it can be changed through a cognitive bias training programme. What does this study add? This means that body size overestimation may now be treatable. Critically, as well as improving the accuracy of body size judgements, we also found a clinically significant improvement in participants’ eating‐disordered concerns. This demonstrates that a targeted behavioural training regime can change body perception, and the central role that body overestimation has in eating‐disordered beliefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucinda J Gledhill
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | | | | | | | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, UK.,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, UK
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32
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Bland AR, Roiser JP, Mehta MA, Schei T, Boland H, Campbell-Meiklejohn DK, Emsley RA, Munafo MR, Penton-Voak IS, Seara-Cardoso A, Viding E, Voon V, Sahakian BJ, Robbins TW, Elliott R. EMOTICOM: A Neuropsychological Test Battery to Evaluate Emotion, Motivation, Impulsivity, and Social Cognition. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:25. [PMID: 26941628 PMCID: PMC4764711 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In mental health practice, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments are aimed at improving neuropsychological symptoms, including cognitive and emotional impairments. However, at present there is no established neuropsychological test battery that comprehensively covers multiple affective domains relevant in a range of disorders. Our objective was to generate a standardized test battery, comprised of existing, adapted and novel tasks, to assess four core domains of affective cognition (emotion processing, motivation, impulsivity and social cognition) in order to facilitate and enhance treatment development and evaluation in a broad range of neuropsychiatric disorders. The battery was administered to 200 participants aged 18-50 years (50% female), 42 of whom were retested in order to assess reliability. An exploratory factor analysis identified 11 factors with eigenvalues greater than 1, which accounted for over 70% of the variance. Tasks showed moderate to excellent test-retest reliability and were not strongly correlated with demographic factors such as age or IQ. The EMOTICOM test battery is therefore a promising tool for the assessment of affective cognitive function in a range of contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R Bland
- Neuroscience and Psychiatry Unit, University of Manchester Manchester, UK
| | - Jonathan P Roiser
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London London, UK
| | - Mitul A Mehta
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London London, UK
| | - Thea Schei
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge Cambridge, UK
| | - Heather Boland
- Neuroscience and Psychiatry Unit, University of Manchester Manchester, UK
| | | | - Richard A Emsley
- Institute of Population Health, University of Manchester Manchester, UK
| | - Marcus R Munafo
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol Bristol, UK
| | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol Bristol, UK
| | - Ana Seara-Cardoso
- Psychology and Language Sciences, University College LondonLondon, UK; School of Psychology, University of MinhoGuimaraes, Portugal
| | - Essi Viding
- Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London London, UK
| | - Valerie Voon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK; Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK
| | - Barbara J Sahakian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK; Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK; Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of CambridgeCambridge, UK
| | - Rebecca Elliott
- Neuroscience and Psychiatry Unit, University of Manchester Manchester, UK
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Stoddard J, Sharif-Askary B, Harkins EA, Frank HR, Brotman MA, Penton-Voak IS, Maoz K, Bar-Haim Y, Munafò M, Pine DS, Leibenluft E. An Open Pilot Study of Training Hostile Interpretation Bias to Treat Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2016; 26:49-57. [PMID: 26745832 PMCID: PMC4779288 DOI: 10.1089/cap.2015.0100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Irritability in disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) may be associated with a biased tendency to judge ambiguous facial expressions as angry. We conducted three experiments to explore this bias as a treatment target. We tested: 1) whether youth with DMDD express this bias; 2) whether judgment of ambiguous faces can be altered in healthy youth by training; and 3) whether such training in youth with DMDD is associated with reduced irritability and associated changes in brain function. METHODS Participants in all experiments made happy versus angry judgments of faces that varied along a happy to angry continuum. These judgments were used to quantify a "balance point," the facial expression at which a participant's judgment switches from predominantly happy to predominantly angry. We first compared balance points in youth with DMDD (n = 63) versus healthy youth (n = 26). We then conducted a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of active versus sham balance-point training in 19 healthy youth. Finally, we piloted open, active balance-point training in 14 youth with DMDD, with 10 completing an implicit functional MRI (fMRI) face-emotion processing task. RESULTS Relative to healthy youth, DMDD youth manifested a shifted balance point, expressed as a tendency to classify ambiguous faces as angry rather than happy. In both healthy and DMDD youth, active training is associated with a shift in balance point toward more happy judgments. In DMDD, evidence suggests that active training may be associated with decreased irritability and changes in activation in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex. CONCLUSIONS These results set the stage for further research on computer-based treatment targeting interpretation bias of angry faces in DMDD. Such treatment may decrease irritability and alter neural responses to subtle expressions of happiness and anger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Stoddard
- Section on Bipolar Spectrum Disorders, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Banafsheh Sharif-Askary
- Section on Bipolar Spectrum Disorders, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Elizabeth A. Harkins
- Section on Bipolar Spectrum Disorders, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Heather R. Frank
- Section on Bipolar Spectrum Disorders, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Melissa A. Brotman
- Section on Bipolar Spectrum Disorders, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ian S. Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Keren Maoz
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yair Bar-Haim
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Marcus Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.,UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel S. Pine
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ellen Leibenluft
- Section on Bipolar Spectrum Disorders, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland
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Carnegie R, Shepherd C, Pearson RM, Button KS, Munafò MR, Evans J, Penton-Voak IS. Changing mothers' perception of infant emotion: a pilot study. Arch Womens Ment Health 2016; 19:167-72. [PMID: 26260038 PMCID: PMC5006819 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-015-0565-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive bias modification (CBM) techniques, which experimentally retrain abnormal processing of affective stimuli, are becoming established for various psychiatric disorders. Such techniques have not yet been applied to maternal processing of infant emotion, which is affected by various psychiatric disorders. In a pilot study, mothers of children under 3 years old (n = 2) were recruited and randomly allocated to one of three training exercises, aiming either to increase or decrease their threshold of perceiving distress in a morphed continuum of 15 infant facial images. Differences between pre- and post-training threshold were analysed between and within subjects. Compared to baseline thresholds, the threshold for perceiving infant distress decreased in the lowered threshold group (mean difference -1.7 frames, 95 % confidence intervals (CI) -3.1 to -0.3, p = 0.02), increased in the raised threshold group (1.3 frames, 95 % CI 0.6 to 2.1, p < 0.01) and was unchanged in the control group (0.1 frames, 95 % CI -0.8 to 1.1, p = 0.80). Between-group differences were similarly robust in regression models and were not attenuated by potential confounders. The findings suggest that it is possible to change the threshold at which mothers perceive ambiguous infant faces as distressed, either to increase or decrease sensitivity to distress. This small study was intended to provide proof of concept (i.e. that it is possible to alter a mother's perception of infant distress). Questions remain as to whether the effects persist beyond the immediate experimental session, have an impact on maternal behaviour and could be used in clinical samples to improve maternal sensitivity and child outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Carnegie
- Centre of Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK.
| | - C Shepherd
- Centre of Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - R M Pearson
- Centre of Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - K S Button
- Centre of Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - M R Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - J Evans
- Centre of Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
| | - I S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Griffiths S, Jarrold C, Penton-Voak IS, Munafò MR. Feedback training induces a bias for detecting happiness or fear in facial expressions that generalises to a novel task. Psychiatry Res 2015; 230:951-7. [PMID: 26619915 PMCID: PMC4693450 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Many psychological disorders are characterised by insensitivities or biases in the processing of subtle facial expressions of emotion. Training using expression morph sequences which vary the intensity of expressions may be able to address such deficits. In the current study participants were shown expressions from either happy or fearful intensity morph sequences, and trained to detect the target emotion (e.g., happy in the happy sequence) as being present in low intensity expressions. Training transfer was tested using a six alternative forced choice emotion labelling task with varying intensity expressions, which participants completed before and after training. Training increased false alarms for the target emotion in the transfer task. Hit rate for the target emotion did not increase once adjustment was made for the increase in false alarms. This suggests that training causes a bias for detecting the target emotion which generalises outside of the training task. However it does not increase accuracy for detecting the target emotion. The results are discussed in terms of the training's utility in addressing different types of emotion processing deficits in psychological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Griffiths
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MRC IEU) at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
| | - Chris Jarrold
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MRC IEU) at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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Griffiths S, Penton-Voak IS, Jarrold C, Munafò MR. Correction: No Own-Age Advantage in Children's Recognition of Emotion on Prototypical Faces of Different Ages. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0131488. [PMID: 26098913 PMCID: PMC4476834 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Lefevre CE, Etchells PJ, Howell EC, Clark AP, Penton-Voak IS. Facial width-to-height ratio predicts self-reported dominance and aggression in males and females, but a measure of masculinity does not. Biol Lett 2015; 10:20140729. [PMID: 25339656 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2014.0729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, associations between facial structure and aggressive behaviour have been reported. Specifically, the facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) is thought to link to aggression, although it is unclear whether this association is related to a specific dimension of aggression, or to a more generalized concept of dominance behaviour. Similarly, an association has been proposed between facial masculinity and dominant and aggressive behaviour, but, to date, this has not been formally tested. Because masculinity and fWHR are negatively correlated, it is unlikely that both signal similar behaviours. Here, we thus tested these associations and show that: (i) fWHR is related to both self-reported dominance and aggression; (ii) physical aggression, verbal aggression and anger, but not hostility are associated with fWHR; (iii) there is no evidence for a sex difference in associations between fWHR and aggression; and (iv) the facial masculinity index does not predict dominance or aggression. Taken together, these results indicate that fWHR, but not a measure of facial masculinity, cues dominance and specific types of aggression in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen E Lefevre
- Centre for Decision Research, Leeds University Business School, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Peter J Etchells
- School of Society, Enterprise and Environment, Bath Spa University, Bath BA2 9BN, UK
| | - Emma C Howell
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
| | - Andrew P Clark
- Department of Psychology, Brunel University, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
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Griffiths S, Penton-Voak IS, Jarrold C, Munafò MR. No Own-Age Advantage in Children's Recognition of Emotion on Prototypical Faces of Different Ages. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0125256. [PMID: 25978656 PMCID: PMC4433217 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0125256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 03/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We test whether there is an own-age advantage in emotion recognition using prototypical younger child, older child and adult faces displaying emotional expressions. Prototypes were created by averaging photographs of individuals from 6 different age and sex categories (male 5-8 years, male 9-12 years, female 5-8 years, female 9-12 years, adult male and adult female), each posing 6 basic emotional expressions. In the study 5-8 year old children (n = 33), 9-13 year old children (n = 70) and adults (n = 92) labelled these expression prototypes in a 6-alternative forced-choice task. There was no evidence that children or adults recognised expressions better on faces from their own age group. Instead, child facial expression prototypes were recognised as accurately as adult expression prototypes by all age groups. This suggests there is no substantial own-age advantage in children's emotion recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Griffiths
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MRC IEU) at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Jarrold
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MRC IEU) at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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Van Den Abbeele J, Penton-Voak IS, Attwood AS, Stephen ID, Munafò MR. Increased facial attractiveness following moderate, but not high, alcohol consumption. Alcohol Alcohol 2015; 50:296-301. [PMID: 25716115 PMCID: PMC4398990 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agv010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2014] [Revised: 02/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Alcohol consumption is known to be associated with risky sexual behaviours, but this relationship may be complex and bidirectional. We explored whether alcohol consumption leads to the consumer being rated as more attractive than sober individuals. METHODS Heterosexual social alcohol consumers completed an attractiveness-rating task, in which they were presented with pairs of photographs depicting the same individual, photographed while sober and after having consumed alcohol (either 0.4 or 0.8 g/kg), and required to decide which image was more attractive. RESULTS Photographs of individuals who had consumed a low dose of alcohol (equivalent to 250 ml of wine at 14% alcohol by volume for a 70 kg individual) were rated as more attractive than photographs of sober individuals. This was not observed for photographs of individuals who had consumed a high dose of alcohol. CONCLUSION In addition to perceiving others as more attractive, a mildly intoxicated alcohol consumer may also be perceived as more attractive by others. This in turn may play a role in the relationship between alcohol consumption and risky sexual behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Angela S Attwood
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ian D Stephen
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Pound N, Lawson DW, Toma AM, Richmond S, Zhurov AI, Penton-Voak IS. Facial fluctuating asymmetry is not associated with childhood ill-health in a large British cohort study. Proc Biol Sci 2014; 281:20141639. [PMID: 25122232 PMCID: PMC4150332 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The idea that symmetry in facial traits is associated with attractiveness because it reliably indicates good physiological health, particularly to potential sexual partners, has generated an extensive literature on the evolution of human mate choice. However, large-scale tests of this hypothesis using direct or longitudinal assessments of physiological health are lacking. Here, we investigate relationships between facial fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and detailed individual health histories in a sample (n = 4732) derived from a large longitudinal study (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children) in South West England. Facial FA was assessed using geometric morphometric analysis of facial landmark configurations derived from three-dimensional facial scans taken at 15 years of age. Facial FA was not associated with longitudinal measures of childhood health. However, there was a very small negative association between facial FA and IQ that remained significant after correcting for a positive allometric relationship between FA and face size. Overall, this study does not support the idea that facial symmetry acts as a reliable cue to physiological health. Consequently, if preferences for facial symmetry do represent an evolved adaptation, then they probably function not to provide marginal fitness benefits by choosing between relatively healthy individuals on the basis of small differences in FA, but rather evolved to motivate avoidance of markers of substantial developmental disturbance and significant pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Pound
- Division of Psychology, Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University, London UB8 3PH, UK
| | - David W Lawson
- Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Arshed M Toma
- Applied Clinical Research and Public Health, Orthodontic Department, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Stephen Richmond
- Applied Clinical Research and Public Health, Orthodontic Department, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Alexei I Zhurov
- Applied Clinical Research and Public Health, Orthodontic Department, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Abstract
We investigated whether acutely induced anxiety modifies the ability to match photographed faces. Establishing the extent to which anxiety affects face-matching accuracy is important because of the relevance of face-matching performance to critical security-related applications. Participants ( N = 28) completed the Glasgow Face Matching Test twice, once during a 20-min inhalation of medical air and once during a similar inhalation of air enriched with 7.5% CO2, which is a validated method for inducing acute anxiety. Anxiety degraded performance, but only with respect to hits, not false alarms. This finding provides further support for the dissociation between the ability to accurately identify a genuine match between faces and the ability to identify the lack of a match. Problems with the accuracy of facial identification are not resolved even when viewers are presented with a good photographic image of a face, and identification inaccuracy may be heightened when viewers are experiencing acute anxiety.
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Adams S, Penton-Voak IS, Harmer CJ, Holmes EA, Munafò MR. Effects of emotion recognition training on mood among individuals with high levels of depressive symptoms: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 2013; 14:161. [PMID: 23725208 PMCID: PMC3686600 DOI: 10.1186/1745-6215-14-161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2012] [Accepted: 05/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We have developed a new paradigm that targets the recognition of facial expression of emotions. Here we report the protocol of a randomised controlled trial of the effects of emotion recognition training on mood in a sample of individuals with depressive symptoms over a 6-week follow-up period. Methods/Design We will recruit 190 adults from the general population who report high levels of depressive symptoms (defined as a score ≥ 14 on the Beck Depression Inventory-II). Participants will attend a screening session and will be randomised to intervention or control procedures, repeated five times over consecutive days (Monday to Friday). A follow-up session will take place at end-of -treatment, 2-weeks and 6-weeks after training. Our primary study outcome will be depressive symptoms, Beck Depression Inventory- II (rated over the past two weeks). Our secondary outcomes are: depressive symptoms, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression; anxiety symptoms, Beck Anxiety Inventory (rated over the past month); positive affect, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (rated as ‘how you feel right now’); negative affect, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (rated as ‘how you feel right now’); emotion sensitivity, Emotion Recognition Task (test phase); approach motivation and persistence, the Fishing Game; and depressive interpretation bias, Scrambled Sentences Test. Discussion This study is of a novel cognitive bias modification technique that targets biases in emotional processing characteristic of depression, and can be delivered automatically via computer, Internet or Smartphone. It therefore has potential to be a valuable cost-effective adjunctive treatment for depression which may be used together with more traditional psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy and pharmacotherapy. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials: ISRCTN17767674
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Adams
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK.
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Scott IML, Clark AP, Boothroyd LG, Penton-Voak IS. Do men's faces really signal heritable immunocompetence? Behav Ecol 2013; 24:579-589. [PMID: 23555177 PMCID: PMC3613940 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ars092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2011] [Revised: 10/14/2011] [Accepted: 05/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
In the literature on human mate choice, masculine facial morphology is often proposed to be an intersexual signal of heritable immunocompetence, and hence an important component of men's attractiveness. This hypothesis has received considerable research attention, and is increasingly treated as plausible and well supported. In this article, we propose that the strength of the evidence for the immunocompetence hypothesis is somewhat overstated, and that a number of difficulties have been under-acknowledged. Such difficulties include (1) the tentative nature of the evidence regarding masculinity and disease in humans, (2) the complex and uncertain picture emerging from the animal literature on sexual ornaments and immunity, (3) the absence of consistent, cross-cultural support for the predictions of the immunocompetence hypothesis regarding preferences for masculinized stimuli, and (4) evidence that facial masculinity contributes very little, if anything, to overall attractiveness in real men. Furthermore, alternative explanations for patterns of preferences, in particular the proposal that masculinity is primarily an intrasexual signal, have been neglected. We suggest that immunocompetence perspectives on masculinity, whilst appealing in many ways, should still be regarded as speculative, and that other perspectives-and other traits-should be the subject of greater attention for researchers studying human mate preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel M L Scott
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Bristol , Bristol, BS8 1UU UK
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Gildersleeve K, DeBruine L, Haselton MG, Frederick DA, Penton-Voak IS, Jones BC, Perrett DI. Shifts in Women’s Mate Preferences Across the Ovulatory Cycle: A Critique of Harris (2011) and Harris (2012). Sex Roles 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s11199-013-0273-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Penton-Voak IS, Thomas J, Gage SH, McMurran M, McDonald S, Munafò MR. Increasing recognition of happiness in ambiguous facial expressions reduces anger and aggressive behavior. Psychol Sci 2013; 24:688-97. [PMID: 23531485 DOI: 10.1177/0956797612459657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to identify emotion in other people is critical to social functioning. In a series of experiments, we explored the relationship between recognition of emotion in ambiguous facial expressions and aggressive thoughts and behavior, both in healthy adults and in adolescent youth at high risk of criminal offending and delinquency. We show that it is possible to experimentally modify biases in emotion recognition to encourage the perception of happiness over anger in ambiguous expressions. This change in perception results in a decrease in self-reported anger and aggression in healthy adults and high-risk youth, respectively, and also in independently rated aggressive behavior in high-risk youth. We obtained similar effects on mood using two different techniques to modify biases in emotion perception (feedback-based training and visual adaptation). These studies provide strong evidence that emotion processing plays a causal role in anger and the maintenance of aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TU, United Kingdom
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Theodoridou A, Penton-Voak IS, Rowe AC. A direct examination of the effect of intranasal administration of oxytocin on approach-avoidance motor responses to emotional stimuli. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58113. [PMID: 23469148 PMCID: PMC3585234 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2012] [Accepted: 02/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin has been shown to promote a host of social behaviors in humans but the exact mechanisms by which it exerts its effects are unspecified. One prominent theory suggests that oxytocin increases approach and decreases avoidance to social stimuli. Another dominant theory posits that oxytocin increases the salience of social stimuli. Herein, we report a direct test of these hypotheses. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study we examined approach-avoidance motor responses to social and non-social emotional stimuli. One hundred and twenty participants self-administered either 24 IU oxytocin or placebo and moved a lever toward or away from pictures of faces depicting emotional expressions or from natural scenes appearing before them on a computer screen. Lever movements toward stimuli decreased and movements away increased stimuli size producing the illusion that stimuli moved away from or approached participants. Reaction time data were recorded. The task produced the effects that were anticipated on the basis of the approach-avoidance literature in relation to emotional stimuli, yet the anticipated speeded approach and slowed avoidance responses to emotional faces by the oxytocin group were not observed. Interestingly, the oxytocin treatment group was faster to approach and avoid faces depicting disgust relative to the placebo group, suggesting a salience of disgust for the former group. Results also showed that within the oxytocin group women's reaction times to all emotional faces were faster than those of men, suggesting sex specific effects of oxytocin. The present findings provide the first direct evidence that intranasal oxytocin administration does not enhance approach/avoidance to social stimuli and does not exert a stronger effect on social vs. non-social stimuli in the context of processing of emotional expressions and scenes. Instead, our data suggest that oxytocin administration increases the salience of certain social stimuli and point to a possible role for oxytocin in behavioral prophylaxis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeliki Theodoridou
- University of Bristol, School of Experimental Psychology, Bristol, United Kingdom.
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van Leeuwen F, Park JH, Penton-Voak IS. Another fundamental social category? Spontaneous categorization of people who uphold or violate moral norms. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2012.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Abstract
We investigated the effects of emotion perception training on depressive symptoms and mood in young adults reporting high levels of depressive symptoms (trial registration: ISRCTN02532638). Participants were randomised to an intervention procedure designed to increase the perception of happiness over sadness in ambiguous facial expressions or a control procedure, and completed self-report measures of depressive symptoms and mood. Those in the intervention condition had lower depressive symptoms and negative mood at 2-week follow-up, but there was no statistical evidence for a difference. There was some evidence for increased positive mood. Modification of emotional perception may lead to an increase in positive affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian S Penton-Voak
- School of Experimental Psychology, 12a Priory Road, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Abstract
Alcohol consumption is associated with increases in aggressive behaviour, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship are poorly understood. One mechanism by which alcohol consumption may influence behaviour is via alterations in the processing of social cues such as gaze. We investigated the effects of acute alcohol consumption on the perception of gaze, using a task in which participants determined whether a stimulus face was looking towards or away from them. Gaze direction varied across trials, allowing calculation of a threshold at which participants considered gaze to switch from direct to averted. Target faces varied in both sex and attractiveness. Thirty social drinkers attended three randomized experimental sessions. At each session, participants consumed 0.0, 0.2 or 0.4 g/kg alcohol, and completed the gaze perception task. A significant three-way interaction involving target sex, participant sex and alcohol dose indicated that alcohol increased the cone of gaze for females viewing male targets (i.e. females were biased towards making a direct gaze judgement), but decreased the cone of gaze for males viewing male targets. Our data indicate that alcohol consumption influences gaze perception, but that these effects vary across sex of both stimulus and rater. These effects may have important implications for alcohol-related violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian S Penton-Voak
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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