title: Written on the Face: Self- and Expert-Rated Impairments in Personality Functioning Are Differently Related to the Expression of Disgust Toward an Interviewer.
abstract: Although current theories suggest that impairments in personality functioning are at the core of personality pathology, there is a lack of research on how these impairments play out behaviorally. The aim of the present study was to investigate disgust expressions as indicators of personality dysfunction. Facial expressions were investigated in a sample of 78 female participants during an in-depth clinical interview and coded with the Facial Action Coding System. Personality dysfunction was assessed with self- and expert ratings. By applying a joint regression analysis, the authors found that disgust expressions toward the interviewer were positively associated with expert ratings but negatively associated with self-ratings. In other words, disgust expressions were indicative of an underestimation of personality dysfunction by participants as compared with experts. This suggests that interactional expressions of disgust might be a behavioral marker of personality dysfunction when individuals are unaware of or deny impairments.
authors.affiliation: University of Kassel.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gebhardt
authors.affiliation: University of Kassel.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.affiliation: University of Innsbruck.
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peham
authors.affiliation: University of Innsbruck.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bock
authors.affiliation: University of Kassel.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitte
authors.affiliation: University of Kassel.
authors.forename: Cord
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benecke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D055815:Young Adult