title: The relationship between facial affect recognition and cognitive functioning after traumatic brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is considerable evidence suggesting facial affect recognition and cognitive functions are impaired in many people with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, little is known about the relationship between these two domains in the TBI population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study investigated the relationship between facial affect recognition and cognitive functioning in 75 adults with moderate-to-severe TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were administered three facial affect recognition tests and a computerized cognitive test battery that assessed seven cognitive domains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Deficits in facial affect recognition were significantly correlated with impairments in non-verbal memory, working memory, speed of processing, verbal memory and verbal delayed memory. No significant relationship was found between executive dysfunction and facial affect recognition impairments. Non-verbal memory, working memory and speed of processing significantly predicted overall facial affect recognition performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that impairment in several cognitive processes may contribute to facial affect recognition deficits in TBI, in particular non-verbal memory, working memory and speed of processing. Furthermore, executive functioning may not be a critical factor in facial affect recognition, but would most likely be important in deciding what to do once facial affect is perceived.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jackki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yim
authors.forename: Duncan R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Babbage
authors.forename: Barbra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zupan
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Willer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D021641:Recognition, Psychology