Computerized facial analysis for understanding constricted/blunted affect: Initial feasibility, reliability, and validity data

SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH

卷:148

Article

Cohen, Alex S.¹  Morrison, Sean C.¹  Callaway, Dallas A.¹ 

[1] Louisiana State Univ, Dept Psychol, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA

关键词: Schizotypy;    Schizophrenia;    Constricted;    Blunted;    Negative;    Affect;    Computerized;    Facial;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.schres.2013.05.003

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Diminished expression is a diagnostic feature of a range of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders/conditions and is often unresponsive to treatment, is present across premorbid, first episode and various clinical states, and is considered a poor prognostic indicator. Surprisingly, little is known about diminished expression. The present study sought to address this issue by evaluating a commercially-available computerized facial analysis software for understanding diminished expressivity. We analyzed natural facial expression from a series of laboratory interaction tasks in 28 individuals with psychometric schizotypy - defined as the personality organization reflecting a putative genetic schizophrenia liability, and 26 matched controls. We evaluated (a) feasibility - defined in terms of the number of video frames recognized by the software, (b) reliability-defined in terms of correlations between facial expression variables across the three laboratory interactions, and (c) construct validity - defined in terms of relationships to clinical variables. For most subjects (similar to 80%), approximately three-quarters of the video frames were analyzable by the software; however, a minority of the videos were essentially unreadable. The facial expression variables showed excellent reliability across interaction conditions. In terms of construct validity, facial expression variables were significantly related to a measure of psychoticism, tapping subjective cognitive concerns and first-rank schizophrenia symptoms, but were generally not different between groups. Facial expression variables were generally not significantly related to measures of depression, anxiety, paranoia or, surprisingly, self-reported negative schizotypy. While computerized facial analysis appears to be a reliable and promising method of understanding diminished expressivity across the schizophrenia-spectrum, some work remains. Implications are discussed. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

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