Accuracy and errors in judges' attempts to differentiate facial expressions that displayed genuine pain, no pain or were dissimulated (i.e., masked and exaggerated) were examined. Judges were informed that misrepresentations in the facial expressions were present and were asked to rate their confidence in classifying these expressions. Detailed, objective coding of the patients' facial reactions (e.g., brow lowering, mouth opening) were related to judges' decisions. Judges' classification decisions were better than chance, but there were many errors. Extreme expressions (i.e., no pain, and exaggerated expressions) were identified more accurately than genuine and masked expressions. Judges level of confidence was consistent with their level of accuracy. Judges consistently used rules of thumb based on specific facial cues when making judgments. Certain cues were effectively discriminative. Systematic training in the use of specific cues or the use of articulated decision rules may be helpful in improving judges' accuracy.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Everyday pain responses in children with and without developmental delays.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether children with developmental delays respond to painful events differently than nondelayed children. METHODS: Sixty families participated. Children between the ages of 2 and 6 years were observed at daycare centers while engaged in usual daily activities, such as free play. Spontaneous painful incidents and the child's responses were recorded using an observational measure (Dalhousie Everyday Pain Scale) designed to capture pain behavior. RESULTS: Children with developmental delays (n = 24) displayed a less intense distress response to an equivocal pain event than nondelayed children (n = 36). Children with developmental delays were more likely to display no reaction following a pain event, whereas children without delays cried more often. Further, children with developmental delays engaged in fewer help-seeking behaviors and were less likely to display a social response following a pain event than nondelayed children. CONCLUSIONS: Children with developmental delays appear to react in a different manner to pain events than nondelayed children do; we discuss a possible socio-communicative deficit.

Adaptation, Psychological↗