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Heightened sensitivity to facial expressions of emotion in borderline personality disorder

Heightened sensitivity to facial expressions of emotion in borderline personality disorder
Heightened sensitivity to facial expressions of emotion in borderline personality disorder
Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) have been hypothesized to exhibit significant problems associated with emotional sensitivity. The current study examined emotional sensitivity (i.e., low threshold for recognition of emotional stimuli) in BPD by comparing 20 individuals with BPD and 20 normal controls on their accuracy in identifying emotional expressions. Results demonstrated that, as facial expressions morphed from neutral to maximum intensity, participants with BPD correctly identified facial affect at an earlier stage than did healthy controls. Participants with BPD were more sensitive than healthy controls in identifying emotional expressions in general, regardless of valence. These findings could not be explained by participants with BPD responding faster with more errors. Overall, results appear to support the contention that heightened emotional sensitivity may be a core feature of BPD.

personality disorder, facial affect recognition, emotional sensitivity, facial expressions
1528-3542
647-655
Lynch, Thomas R.
29e90123-0aef-46c8-b320-1617fb48bb20
Rosenthal, M. Zachary
704abe38-0b92-4965-acda-99474da78e16
Kosson, David S.
18d28e45-4946-4f00-9c16-437efd3766c3
Cheavens, Jennifer S.
c9b944a2-375d-4cd3-bc83-9c4c9217e450
Lejuez, C.W.
7f56e4d7-eb98-4684-aaa9-5717ee85ddbc
Blair, R.J.R.
9f82a549-911c-4a8f-90c5-97024d20f32b
Lynch, Thomas R.
29e90123-0aef-46c8-b320-1617fb48bb20
Rosenthal, M. Zachary
704abe38-0b92-4965-acda-99474da78e16
Kosson, David S.
18d28e45-4946-4f00-9c16-437efd3766c3
Cheavens, Jennifer S.
c9b944a2-375d-4cd3-bc83-9c4c9217e450
Lejuez, C.W.
7f56e4d7-eb98-4684-aaa9-5717ee85ddbc
Blair, R.J.R.
9f82a549-911c-4a8f-90c5-97024d20f32b

Lynch, Thomas R., Rosenthal, M. Zachary, Kosson, David S., Cheavens, Jennifer S., Lejuez, C.W. and Blair, R.J.R. (2006) Heightened sensitivity to facial expressions of emotion in borderline personality disorder. Emotion, 6 (4), 647-655. (doi:10.1037/1528-3542.6.4.647). (PMID:17144755)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) have been hypothesized to exhibit significant problems associated with emotional sensitivity. The current study examined emotional sensitivity (i.e., low threshold for recognition of emotional stimuli) in BPD by comparing 20 individuals with BPD and 20 normal controls on their accuracy in identifying emotional expressions. Results demonstrated that, as facial expressions morphed from neutral to maximum intensity, participants with BPD correctly identified facial affect at an earlier stage than did healthy controls. Participants with BPD were more sensitive than healthy controls in identifying emotional expressions in general, regardless of valence. These findings could not be explained by participants with BPD responding faster with more errors. Overall, results appear to support the contention that heightened emotional sensitivity may be a core feature of BPD.

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More information

Published date: 31 December 2006
Keywords: personality disorder, facial affect recognition, emotional sensitivity, facial expressions

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 194131
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/194131
ISSN: 1528-3542
PURE UUID: fe0bcf98-0982-4c26-ac3a-058003b68d59
ORCID for Thomas R. Lynch: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1270-6097

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 25 Jul 2011 09:52
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:32

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Contributors

Author: Thomas R. Lynch ORCID iD
Author: M. Zachary Rosenthal
Author: David S. Kosson
Author: Jennifer S. Cheavens
Author: C.W. Lejuez
Author: R.J.R. Blair

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