Facial expression recognition ability among women with borderline personality disorder: implications for emotion regulation?
This study examined recognition of facial expressions of emotion among women diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD; n = 21), compared to a group of women with histories of childhood sexual abuse with no current or prior diagnosis of BPD (n = 21) and a group of women with no history of sexual abuse or BPD (n = 20). Facial recognition was assessed by a slide set developed by Ekman and Matsumoto (Japanese and Caucasian Facial Expressions of Emotion and Neutral Faces, 1992), expanded and improved from previous slide sets, and utilized a coding system that allowed for free responses rather than the more typical fixed-response format. Results indicated that borderline individuals were primarily accurate perceivers of others' emotions and showed a tendency toward heightened sensitivity on recognition of fear, specifically. Results are discussed in terms of emotional appraisal ability and emotion dysregulation among individuals with BPD.
Wagner
A W
AW
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, USA. wagner@uwyo.edu
Linehan
M M
MM
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012938:Social Perception