Compare emotion recognition dimensions in people with antisocial and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders and those with normal personality

Emotion recognition is an essential ability to understand others’ behavior. Emotions can be recognized through facial expression, voice, and gestures.

This study aims to compare emotion recognition dimensions in people with antisocial (ASPD) and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders (OCPD) and those with normal personality.

The statistical population of this descriptive, causal-comparative research included all female students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in the academic year 2016. A total of 400 students were randomly selected to fill out Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, 3rd edition (MCMI-III). Then, a total of 30 students were assigned to each group based on the inclusion criterion. The participants took part in facial, vocal, and somatic emotion recognition and theory of mind tests. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis of variance.

Results showed a significant difference between ASPD and OCPD groups for vocal anger emotion arousal (p=0.028). The results also showed a significant difference between OCPD and normal personality groups in terms of neutral emotional intensity (p=0.049). Moreover, a significant difference was observed between ASPD and normal personality groups for somatic emotion recognition in two states of happiness (p=0.004) (p=0.001), and between OCPD and normal personality groups in one state of happiness (p<0.05).

Individuals with ASPD showed better performance in recognizing somatic emotion, which provides a theoretical ground for new therapeutic methods. However, further studies are required to recognize emotion using different methods (voices, body movements, etc.) in clinical samples.