The purpose of this study is to explore the fact that facial recognition and the bias of intent attribution play a mediating role in the process that children's experience of maltreatment has influence on depression and aggression.
For the purpose, a ...
The purpose of this study is to explore the fact that facial recognition and the bias of intent attribution play a mediating role in the process that children's experience of maltreatment has influence on depression and aggression.
For the purpose, a two-stage research was considered. Study 1 verified a hypothesis that maltreated children show more hostility in facial recognition, facial interpretation, and intent attribution than the children who were not maltreated. Based on the result, study 2 established and verified theoretical models that facial recognition and the bias of intent attribution played a mediating role in the process that children's experience of maltreatment has influence on depression and aggression.
With regard to the objects and methods of this study, in the study 1, the experiment was conducted to examine the bias of facial recognition, the hostility of facial expression interpretation, and the tendency of the intent attribution in ambiguous situation with 24 children who had similar economic situations with 26 elementary students from 4 to 6 grades. MANOVA(multivariate analysis of variance) was conducted, the outcomes of multivariate analysis were examined, and the differences were compared by yielding effect sizes. In the study 2, maltreatment experiences, the bias of facial recognition, the tendency of the intent attribution in ambiguous situation, depression, and aggression were examined in 737 elementary students from 4 to 6 grades in Seoul. In order to verify the models, goodness of fit and significant paths were verified through structural equation model(SEM).
From the results, in the study 1, firstly, there were significant differences in the bias of facial recognition according to maltreatment and especially, differences were observed in aggression since the children who experienced maltreatment recognize facial expression more aggressive than the children who never experienced maltreatment. Secondly, significant differences were observed in facial recognition with regard to maltreatment and, especially, the children who experienced maltreatment recognize angry facial expressions, a scornful look, and sad looks more aggressive than the children who never experienced maltreatment. Thirdly, there were significant differences in intent attribution with regard to maltreatment and it was observed that the children who experienced maltreatment interpreted others' intentions more aggressive and intentional than the children with no maltreatment experiences since there were differences between hostility attribution and intent attribution.
According to the results from the study 2, although maltreatment experience, itself, had influence on depression and aggression, the bias of facial expression caused by maltreatment influenced intent attribution and the study found that such the bias of intent attribution had influence on depression and aggression. However, the bias of facial recognition, itself, had no influence on depression and aggression and intent attribution, namely, the process that interpreted others' intentions as hostility could cause depression and aggression.
This study verified that the children with maltreatment histories showed the biased hostile characteristics in facial recognition, facial interpretation and intent attribution and identified that the bias of facial recognition and intent attribution played a mediating role. Therefore, it is meaningful that this study actualized the characteristics of recognition interpretation and suggested the paths that maltreatment experiences had influence on depression and aggression. Furthermore, in the process that maltreatment experiences influenced depression and aggression, the bias of facial recognition, itself, did not directly influence depression or aggression and it could influence depression and aggression only through intent attribution. Therefore, in order to minimize depression and aggression caused by maltreatment, this study proved that it was appropriate to intervene intent attribution.