Emotional processing intervention (EMOPRINT): A blinded randomized control trial to treat facial affect recognition deficits in multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Objective: Facial affect recognition deficits have been noted in persons with MS, however there is no treatment for these impairments. We investigated the efficacy of the Emotional Processing Intervention (EMOPRINT), a 12-session behavioral intervention teaching facial affect recognition skills and mimicry to improve facial affect recognition abilities in persons with MS.

Methods: This double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial with two time points (pre-treatment; post-treatment) included 36 participants with clinically definite MS, 21 in the treatment group and 15 in the placebo control group. Participants completed a pre-test and post-test neuropsychological assessment, which consisted of tasks of facial affect recognition (primary outcome measure) and questionnaires to assess quality of life and emotional functioning (secondary outcome measures). We hypothesized that improvements in facial affect recognition skills would be observed following treatment. We also examined changes to quality of life and social functioning. Changes in outcome measures were analyzed using a mixed-method analysis of variance.

Results: The treatment group showed significantly improved facial affect recognition skills relative to the placebo group post-treatment, F(1,34)=5.91, p=.022, partial ꞃ²=0.146. No significant change was noted on secondary outcomes. The majority of the participants in the intervention group reported that the intervention was helpful and that they used the skills learned in their daily interactions.

Conclusion: EMOPRINT is effective for improving facial affect recognition skills in MS.

Keywords: Emotional processing; Facial affect recognition; Intervention; Multiple sclerosis; Social cognition; Treatment.