Table 2.
Relevant reviews and meta-analyses.
| Review/meta-analysis | Objective | Number of studies about FEE in ASD included | Results | Commentaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davies et al. (22) | Review and meta-analysis of spontaneous FEE assessment in non-psychotic psychiatric disorders | 6 out of 39 (including 0 using new technologies) | - Alterations of FEEs in included psychiatric disorders, except for anxiety disorders (depression, eating disorders). - Studies looking at ASD partially confirm the overall decrease in spontaneous facial expression in this group. |
Review on FEEs, but is not focused on ASD or new technologies |
| Deutsch et al. (42) | Review of FEE assessment in people with ASD and neurobiological and clinical implications | 2 Using new technologies | - Addresses the neurobiological, neuroanatomical and pathophysiological mechanisms potentially involved in ASD emotion-processing abnormalities. - Production of FERs discussed in an interventional section involving the use of new technologies. |
Key considerations around recognition of FEEs and visual scanning in ASD |
| Keating et al. (43) | Review of FEE and FER assessment in people with ASD | 17 of which 1 used new technologies | - Differences in FEEs are found between typically developing people and people with ASD, with less frequent expressions which are judged to be lower in quality by evaluators without ASD. - It seems that alexithymia can contribute to these differences in emotion expressions. |
Few studies using new technologies included |
| Trevisan et al. (19) | Meta-analysis of studies about FEE assessment in ASD | 39 out of 39 (including 1 using new technologies) | Participants with ASD produce FEEs less often and for less time. Involuntary mimicry and voluntary imitations are more often inaccurate. FEEs are also considered to be lower in quality and less precise. However, emotions are not expressed less intensely, and spontaneous reaction times are not slower. |
Includes all methods of FEE analysis |
| Vivanti et Hamilton (44) | Review of imitation abilities assessment in ASD | - Evaluation of motor imitation skills: body, manual, language, facial. - This review suggests that most people with ASD have more difficulty in imitating unfamiliar actions and without a clear goal. In addition, imitation performance appears to be less good as social demands increase. |
Reviews imitation data but not just FEEs, does not address the use of new technologies |
ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder; FEE, Facial Emotion Expression; FER, Facial Emotion Recognition.