Enhancing the recognition and production of facial expressions of emotion by children with mental retardation

Abstract

The ability to recognize and respond appropriately to facial expressions of emotion is essential for interpersonal interaction. Individuals with mental retardation have problems not only in recognizing but also in accurately producing facial expressions of emotion. In Experiment 1, directed rehearsal was used to teach six boys with mild and moderate mental retardation to increase their ability to recognize facial expressions of emotion. In addition, their ability to produce the six basic facial expressions of emotion was periodically assessed throughout the study. The results showed that the boys' accuracy in recognizing facial expressions of emotion increased rapidly with instruction and that their increased accuracy was maintained at 8- and 12-week assessments following the termination of instruction. However, their increased levels of recognition did not generalize to the production of these emotions. In Experiment 2, four boys who had participated in the first study were provided with directed rehearsal training in the production of the six basic facial expressions of emotion. Their ability to produce facial expressions of emotion increased with instruction and was maintained following the termination of instruction. In addition, independent raters judged that the boys' production of these emotions matched the emotions that they were required to produce, suggesting a socially valid behavior change. These studies showed that the ability of children with mental retardation to recognize and produce facial expressions of emotion can be enhanced through instruction.