Emotion recognition by children with Down syndrome: investigation of specific impairments and error patterns.

Williams, K R; NaWishart, J G; Pitcairn, T K; Willis, Diane

Abstract

The ability of children with Down syndrome to recognize expressions of emotion was compared to performance in typically developing and nonspecific intellectual disability groups matched on either MA or a performance-related measure. Our goal was to (a) resolve whether specific emotions present recognition difficulties; (b) investigate patterns of errors; and (c) explore the relationships among emotion-recognition ability and cognitive, linguistic, and adaptive behavior levels. Emotion-recognition ability in the Down syndrome group was significantly poorer than in the typically developing group overall, particularly for fearful expressions. Error patterns and relationships between task performance and assessment measures also differed across groups. Findings are consistent with a neurological explanation of specific deficits in sociocognitive functioning in children with Down syndrome.

Citation

Williams, K. R., NaWishart, J. G., Pitcairn, T. K. & Willis, D. (2005). Emotion recognition by children with Down syndrome: investigation of specific impairments and error patterns. American journal of mental retardation : AJMR. 110. . 387-392. . ISSN 0895-8017.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2005
• Deposit Date: Feb 1, 2008
• Print ISSN: 0895-8017
• Publisher: American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 110
• Pages: 387-392
• Keywords: Emotion; Down syndrome; Impairments; Psychological patterns; Comparative analysis; Emotional response
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/2250