Childhood Adversity: The relationship with facial emotion recognition and homelessness

Abstract

Chapter 1.

This thesis submission is composed of two chapters. The first is a systematic literature review exploring the role adverse of childhood experiences on facial emotion recognition in adults. This review aimed to deepen the understanding about how past childhood traumatic events may impact on the ability of people to recognise and identify emotional states in others. In total 16 articles were assessed as meeting the eligibility criteria in line with PRISMA guidelines on systematic reviews (Moher, Liberati, Tetzlaff, Altman, & Group, 2009). The articles were subjected to quality assessment and review. A relationship between childhood adversity and a deficit in adult ability to recognise emotion was found by the majority of studies. Results relating to the specificity of effect of different forms of abuse was highly variable. Similarly, the effect of maltreatment on recognition of certain emotions was unclear. Methodological variability and study quality are discussed as potential reasons for the range of results. This body of research is in its infancy, further ideally prospective research in diverse populations with more consistent methodological approaches is required.

Chapter 2.

The second chapter sought to explore adverse childhood experiences in the homeless population and their relationship to emotion recognition and maladaptive behaviour. Complex trauma has been linked to deficits in social cognition, including emotion recognition in others. Deficits in emotion recognition ability are thought to be implicated in the development and maintenance of maladaptive behaviours and coping styles. These behaviours are often linked to continued or repeat episodes of homelessness and entrenched social exclusion (Maguire, Johnson & Vostanis, 2010).
This study aimed to explore the role of childhood adversity in facial emotion recognition (FER) ability and maladaptive behaviour. A sample of people currently experiencing homelessness (n=82) and a control sample (n=21) from the general population were recruited. Group comparison and correlational study designs were employed. The participants completed questionnaires on childhood adversity and current maladaptive behaviours, alongside a test of FER ability. Early adversity was very common among the homeless sample (98.8% compared to 67% in the general population). The homeless sample had significant impairments in FER ability compared to controls (t (102)=-8.17, p<.001), particularly on anger and sadness. Specific types of adversity were related to impaired FER performance; however, FER ability did not relate to maladaptive behaviour. The link between adversity and FER is explored and the implications of poor FER ability are discussed in terms of intervention and future research. The reasons for the lack of relationship between FER and maladaptive behaviours are discussed in terms of methodological issues.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Nicholas Maguire: orcid.org/0000-0003-4295-8068

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