title: Judging the Intensity of Emotional Expression in Faces: the Effects of Colored Tints on Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder.
abstract: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show atypical processing of facial expressions, which may result from visual stress. In the current study, children with ASD and matched controls judged which member of a pair of faces displayed the more intense emotion. Both faces showed anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness or surprise but to different degrees. Faces were presented on a monitor that was tinted either gray or with a color previously selected by the participant individually as improving the clarity of text. Judgments of emotional intensity improved significantly with the addition of the preferred colored tint in the ASD group but not in controls, a result consistent with a link between visual stress and impairments in processing facial expressions in individuals with ASD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Whitaker
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Park Place, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Catherine R G
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Arnold J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wilkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Debi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roberson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003116:Color; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology
keywords: autism spectrum disorder; facial expressions; overlays; sensory; tints; visual stress