title: The relationship between conduct symptoms and the recognition of emotions in non-clinical adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In adult individuals with antisocial personality disorder, impairment in the recognition of fear seems established. In adolescents with conduct disorder (antecedent of antisocial personality disorder), only sporadic data were assessed, but literature data indicate alterations in the recognition of emotions. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between emotion recognition and conduct symptoms in non-clinical adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  53 adolescents participated in the study (13-16 years, boys, n=29, age 14.7±0.2 years; girls, n=24, age=14.7±0.2 years) after informed consent. The parent version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to assess behavioral problems. The recognition of six basic emotions was established by the "Facial expressions of emotion-stimuli and tests", while Raven IQ measures were also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to boys, girls showed significantly better performance in the recognition of disgust (p<0.035), while no significant difference occurred in the recognition of other emotions. In boys, Conduct Problems score was inversely correlated with the recognition of fear (Spearman R=-0.40, p<0.031) and overall emotion recognition (Spearman R=-0.44, p<0.015), while similar correlation was not present in girls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relationship between the recognition of emotions and conduct problems might indicate an important mechanism in the development of antisocial behavior.
authors.affiliation: Vadaskert Child Psychiatry Hospital, Budapest, Hungary. halaszjoe@gmail.com
authors.forename: József
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Halász
authors.forename: Nikoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Áspán
authors.forename: Csilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bozsik
authors.forename: Júlia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gádoros
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Inántsy-Pap
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires