Recognition of Emotional Facial Expressions by Abusive Mothers and Their Children

Abstract Investigated the ability of abused children and their abusive mothers to decode facial expressions of emotion relative to nonabused children and their mothers. Forty-six children and their mothers (23 control and 23 abusive dyads) were presented with a series of photographs of six emotional expressions posed by both child and adult models. Abused children were less accurate than nonabused children in their identification of emotional expression, as were younger children. Children in both groups were less accurate in decoding adult as opposed to child expressions. Abused children were also less orderly and systematic in their structuring of emotions. Abusive and nonabusive mothers did not differ in their identification of emotional expressions or in their structuring of emotions.