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. 2019 Nov 29;10(1):1697582.
doi: 10.1080/20008198.2019.1697582. eCollection 2019.

The social cognitive appraisal of trustworthiness in individuals with dimensional levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms: a translational study

Tanya Saraiya  1   2 , Dominic Fareri  1 , Teresa López-Castro  2 , Denise Hien  3 , Eric Fertuck  2 , Robert Melara  2
Affiliations

The social cognitive appraisal of trustworthiness in individuals with dimensional levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms: a translational study

Tanya Saraiya et al. Eur J Psychotraumatol. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish, Chinese

Background: Misappraisals in evaluating the trustworthiness of others may be one mechanism contributing to the interpersonal difficulties individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) face. Objective: This study used a translational experimental design to examine the behavioural and neural correlates underlying the appraisal of facial stimuli morphed on dimensions of trustworthiness across three groups: individuals with high posttraumatic stress symptoms (HPTS), low posttraumatic stress symptoms (LPTS), and healthy controls (HC). Methods: Participants (N = 70) rated how trustworthy to untrustworthy they perceived three facial morphs (trustworthy, neutral, and untrustworthy) while undergoing electroencephalography (EEG). Results: Behavioural results showed that the HPTS group rated the untrustworthy morph as more untrustworthy than the HC group (β = 0.20, SE = .07, 95% CI [0.06, 0.33], z = 2.88, p = .004). The HPTS group also showed no variation in response time across morphs ( X 2 (2) = 0.92, p = 0.63), while the LPTS and HC groups did ( X 2 (2) = 9.60, p = .008; X 2 (2) = 23.62, p < .001). EEG data revealed significant group by morph interactions at the N170 latency and the Vertex Positive Potential (VPP): the HPTS and LPTS identified the untrustworthy morph faster than the HCs, but diverged to the degree to which they encoded each facial morph. Conclusions: Taken together our results suggest that HPTS individuals demonstrate an early attentional avoidance of faces morphed on dimensions of trustworthiness. This early, preconscious, avoidance may be one mechanism contributing to the miscalculations individuals with PTSD make in interpersonal situations.

Antecedentes: Los errores de apreciación al evaluar la confiabilidad de los demás pueden ser un mecanismo que contribuye a las dificultades interpersonales que enfrentan las personas con trastorno de estrés postraumático (TEPT).Objetivo: Este estudio utilizó un diseño experimental traslacional para examinar los correlatos conductuales y neurales subyacentes a la evaluación de los estímulos faciales transformados en dimensiones de confiabilidad en tres grupos: individuos con síntomas de estrés postraumático alto (SEPA), síntomas de estrés postraumático bajo (SEPB) y controles sanos (CS)Métodos: Los participantes (N = 70) calificaron cuán confiables a no confiables percibieron tres transformaciones faciales (confiables, neutrales y no confiables) mientras se sometían a electroencefalografía (EEG).Resultados: Los resultados de comportamiento mostraron que el grupo SEPA calificó la transformacion no confiable como más confiable que el grupo CS (β = 0.20, SE = .07, IC 95% [0.06, 0.33], z = 2.88, p = .004). El grupo SEPA tampoco mostró variación en el tiempo de respuesta entre las Transformaciones. (Common.EditSubmissionSteps.Transform.EquationText (2) = 0.92, p = 0.63), mientras que los grupos SEPB y CS sí lo hicieron (Common.EditSubmissionSteps.Transform.EquationText (2) = 9.60, p = .008; Common.EditSubmissionSteps.Transform.EquationText (2) = 23.62, p <.001). Los datos del EEG revelaron interacciones significativas de grupo por transformacion en la latencia N170 y el potencial positivo de vértice (PPV): el SEPA y el SEPB identificaron la transformacion no confiable más rápido que los CS, pero divergieron en el grado en que codificaron cada transformacion facial.Conclusiones: Tomados en conjunto, nuestros resultados sugieren que las personas con SEPA demuestran una evitación temprana de las caras transformadas en dimensiones de confiabilidad. Esta evitación temprana y preconsciente puede ser un mecanismo que contribuye a los errores de cálculo que las personas con TEPT hacen en situaciones interpersonales.

背景:对他人可信度的误判可能是一种导致创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD) 人群人际交往困难的机制。目标:本研究采用转化实验设计, 考查了在高创伤后应激症状组 (HPTS), 低创伤后应激症状组 (LPTS) 和健康对照组 (HC) 这三组人中, 涉及评估可信度维度变形的人脸刺激的行为和神经相关性。方法:70名参与者在扫描脑电图 (EEG) 时评估他们对三种变形人脸 (可信的, 中立的和不可信的) 的信任程度。结果:行为结果表明, HPTS组对不可信变形人脸的评价比HC组更高 (β= 0.20, SE = .07, 95％CI [0.06, 0.33], z= 2.88, p= .004) 。 同时HPTS组对不同人脸的反应时无差异 (X^2 (2) = 0.92, p= 0.63), 而LPTS和HC组则有此差异 (X^2 (2) = 9.60, p= .008； X^2 (2) = 23.62, p<.001) 。脑电数据揭示了在N170潜伏期和顶正电位 (VPP) 中组别与变形人脸间显著的交互作用:HPTS和LPTS组识别不可信人脸的速度比HC组快, 但在编码各变形人脸的程度上却有分歧。结论:综上所述, 我们的结果表明, HPTS组个体表现出对于可信度维度变形人脸的早期注意回避。这种早期的, 前意识的回避可能是导致PTSD患者人际交往中做出误判的一种机制。.

Keywords: EEG; N170; Trauma; VPP; social cognition; trustworthiness.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Facial trustworthy morphs. Morphs from the left to right are: trustworthy (100% trustworthy), neutral morph (50% trustworthy, 50% untrustworthy), and the untrustworthy morph (0% trustworthy) morph (Oosterhof & Todorov, 2009; Todorov et al., 2008).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Behavioural differences in the natural logarithmic reaction times by group and morph. HC = healthy controls, LPTS = low posttraumatic stress symptoms, and HPTS = high posttraumatic stress symptoms.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Behavioural differences in trustworthy ratings by group and morph. The rating scale is: 1 = very trustworthy, 2 = somewhat trustworthy, 3 = 50/50, 4 = somewhat untrustworthy, and 5 = very untrustworthy. HC = healthy controls, LPTS = low posttraumatic stress symptoms, and HPTS = high posttraumatic stress symptoms.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Event-related potentials at the N170 latency, VPP, and NSW. The first graph shows group by morph differences at the N170 latency. The second graph shows group by morph differences at the VPP, and the third graph shows group differences at the NSW. VPP = vertex positive potential, NSW = negative slow wave, HC = healthy controls, LPTS = low posttraumatic stress symptoms, and HPTS = high posttraumatic stress symptoms.
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