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Electromyographic Responses to Emotional Facial Expressions in 6–7 Year Olds with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Abstract

This study aimed to examine facial mimicry in 6–7 year old children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to explore whether facial mimicry was related to the severity of impairment in social responsiveness. Facial electromyographic activity in response to angry, fearful, sad and happy facial expressions was recorded in twenty 6–7 year old children with ASD and twenty-seven typically developing children. Even though results did not show differences in facial mimicry between children with ASD and typically developing children, impairment in social responsiveness was significantly associated with reduced fear mimicry in children with ASD. These findings demonstrate normal mimicry in children with ASD as compared to healthy controls, but that in children with ASD the degree of impairments in social responsiveness may be associated with reduced sensitivity to distress signals.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Maurice Magnée for his kind advice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    P. K. H. Deschamps & W. Matthys

  2. Master Program Neuroscience and Cognition, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    L. Coppes

  3. Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Research Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    J. L. Kenemans, D. J. L. G. Schutter & W. Matthys

  4. Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    W. Matthys

  5. Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Postbus 85500, HP A01.468, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    P. K. H. Deschamps

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  1. P. K. H. Deschamps
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  2. L. Coppes
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  3. J. L. Kenemans
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  4. D. J. L. G. Schutter
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Correspondence to P. K. H. Deschamps.

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Deschamps, P.K.H., Coppes, L., Kenemans, J.L. et al. Electromyographic Responses to Emotional Facial Expressions in 6–7 Year Olds with Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 45, 354–362 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1890-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1890-z

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