Metacognition of working memory and emotion face recognition: symptoms of depression and anxiety

• Grant number: 21/09167-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2023
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Cognitive Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Patrícia Waltz Schelini
• Grantee: Lívia Valenti
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that impairments in cognitive and metacognitive abilities can increase the risk of anxiety and depression disorders. These abilities are the metacognitive monitoring, recognition and working memory of emotional faces. Although these processes are associated with each other, few studies have evaluated their interaction in a single experiment. In the present project, this interaction will be investigated in groups of individuals with mild and severe symptoms of anxiety and depression. Three hundred participants of both sexes, between 18 and 59 years old, with complete or ongoing higher education, will be divided between the three groups. We considered a score of e 11 points for moderate and severe symptoms of anxiety and depression on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and e 9 points for depressive symptoms on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). In a single task, participants will recognize the emotion, memorize and recall the identity of happy, sad and angry faces. After each answer, the participant will judge their ability to recognize emotions and remember the faces, that is, they will perform a metacognitive monitoring judgment. Scales will also be applied to assess metacognitive function: the Perspective Taking Scale and Empathetic Concern Scale of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), Recognition of others' emotions Scale of Schutte's Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIES-P), and the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI). Analysis of variance between groups for each cognitive (working memory and recognition) and metacognitive parameters (judgment of metacognitive monitoring) will be performed, in addition to Pearson correlations and regression analysis for significant correlations. We will evaluate two hypotheses: whether metacognition, face recognition and emotional working memory skills are correlated; and whether these skills have a negative effect on the level of severity of disorders, that is, the lower the skills, the higher the symptoms of depression and anxiety.