Objective and subjective emotional face classification in non-clinical depression

Abstract

Background: Many previous studies highlighting a relationship between depression and emotional face recognition have relied on measures of classification accuracy to determine recognition deficits. However, the perception of emotions is also related arousal levels and valence, and more research is needed to determine how depression impacts these dimensions. Aims: To compare performance on both an objective forced choice emotional recognition task and subjective emotional face valence rating task in participants with self-reported high depression. Methods: Based on screening using the depression sub-scale of the DASS-42, 46 participants (23 males, 23 female) were in the high depression group (mean DASS-42 34±5) and 50 participants in the control groups (25 males, 25 females) with DASS-42 scores of either 0 or 1. All participants completed both a performance-based task (objective) as well as a rating task (subjective) of emotional facial expressions. Results: The data indicate that difference in performance exist in classification accuracy between the groups, with depressed participants demonstrating reduced accuracy for anger, sadness and neutral facial expressions. Additionally differences in subjective ratings exist in the depressed group, but with the important caveat that these only relate to faces display positive emotional expressions. Discussion: The limitations of relying solely on objective tasks where recognition accuracy is the main outcome measure are discussed as well as the data quantitatively demonstrating a reduced response in the depression group to positive stimuli. This study justifies the need for future studies using both objective and subjective measures to assess emotion classification deficits in depression.