An exploratory study of evoked facial affect in adolescent females with anorexia nervosa

Charlotte Rhind; William Mandy; Janet Treasure; Kate Tchanturia

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2014.07.057

An exploratory study of evoked facial affect in adolescent females with anorexia nervosa

Psychiatry Res. 2014 Dec 15;220(1-2):711-5. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.07.057. Epub 2014 Jul 31.

Authors

Charlotte Rhind¹, William Mandy², Janet Treasure³, Kate Tchanturia⁴

Affiliations

¹ King׳s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Eating Disorders, London, UK. Electronic address: charlotte.c.rhind@kcl.ac.uk.
² University College London, Department of Health and Clinical Psychology, London, UK.
³ King׳s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Eating Disorders, London, UK.
⁴ King׳s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Eating Disorders, London, UK; South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, Eating Disorders National Service, London, UK; Tbilisi Illia University, Tbilisi, Georgia.

PMID: 25130780
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.07.057

Abstract

The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate facial affect in adolescent females with anorexia nervosa (AN). Evoked facial affect was recorded whilst AN and control participants (n=34) viewed emotional films. Significantly less facial affect was found in AN adolescents, despite reporting no differences in subjective emotion experience. These findings correspond with previous studies in adults with AN. Altered facial affect may impair interpersonal functioning and contribute to illness maintenance.

Keywords: Eating disorders; Emotion; Facial expression.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Anorexia Nervosa / psychology*
Emotions*
Face
Facial Expression*
Female
Humans
Male
Motion Pictures