title: No differences in emotion recognition strategies in children with autism spectrum disorder: evidence from hybrid faces.
abstract: Emotion recognition problems are frequently reported in individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, this research area is characterized by inconsistent findings, with atypical emotion processing strategies possibly contributing to existing contradictions. In addition, an attenuated saliency of the eyes region is often demonstrated in ASD during face identity processing. We wanted to compare reliance on mouth versus eyes information in children with and without ASD, using hybrid facial expressions. A group of six-to-eight-year-old boys with ASD and an age- and intelligence-matched typically developing (TD) group without intellectual disability performed an emotion labelling task with hybrid facial expressions. Five static expressions were used: one neutral expression and four emotional expressions, namely, anger, fear, happiness, and sadness. Hybrid faces were created, consisting of an emotional face half (upper or lower face region) with the other face half showing a neutral expression. Results showed no emotion recognition problem in ASD. Moreover, we provided evidence for the existence of top- and bottom-emotions in children: correct identification of expressions mainly depends on information in the eyes (so-called top-emotions: happiness) or in the mouth region (so-called bottom-emotions: sadness, anger, and fear). No stronger reliance on mouth information was found in children with ASD.
authors: Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, KU Leuven, Tiensestraat 102 (Box 3711), 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Department of Child Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Kris
authors: 0000-0002-8583-4631
authors: K
authors: Evers
authors: Quantitative Psychology and Individual Differences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Inneke
authors: I
authors: Kerkhof
authors: Department of Child Psychiatry, UPC-KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Department of Clinical Genetics, University Hospital Maastricht, 6200 Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Jean
authors: 0000-0003-2512-4694
authors: J
authors: Steyaert
authors: Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, MA, Boston, USA.
authors: Ilse
authors: I
authors: Noens
authors: Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, KU Leuven, Tiensestraat 102 (Box 3711), 3000 Leuven, Belgium ; Leuven Autism Research (LAuRes), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Johan
authors: 0000-0001-7862-9915
authors: J
authors: Wagemans