Gender Differences in Empathic Ability and Facial Emotion Recognition of Schizophrenic Patients.
- Author:
Ki Chang KIM
1
;
Jung Woo SON
;
Hei Rhee GHIM
;
Sang Ick LEE
;
Chul Gin SHIN
;
Sie Kyeong KIM
;
Gawon JU
;
Jin Sup EOM
;
Myung Sook JUNG
;
Min PARK
;
Eunok MOON
;
Young Un CHEON
Author Information
1. Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea. mammosss@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Schizophrenia;
Empathy;
Facial emotion recognition;
Sex difference
- MeSH:
Diagnosis;
Empathy;
Female;
Humans;
Male;
Outpatients;
Rehabilitation;
Schizophrenia;
Sex Characteristics
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Biological Psychiatry
2014;21(1):21-27
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to investigate gender difference in empathic ability and recognition of facial emotion expression in schizophrenic patients. METHODS: Twenty-two schizophrenic outpatients (11 men and 11 women) and controls (10 men and 12 women) performed both the scale of Empathic Quotient (EQ) and facial emotion recognition test. We compared the scores of EQ and the facial emotion recognition test among each group according to diagnosis and gender. RESULTS: We found a significant sex difference in the scores of EQ and the facial emotion recognition test in the schizophrenic patients. And there were significantly negative correlation between the score of the facial emotion recognition test and the scores of Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) in female schizophrenic patients. However, in male schizophrenic patients, there were no significant correlations between the score of each test and the scores of PANSS. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the sex difference in empathic ability and facial emotion recognition would be very important in chronic schizophrenic patients. Investigation of sex effects in empathic ability and facial emotion recognition in chronic schizophrenic patients would present an important solution for constructing optimal rehabilitation program.
