Behaviour and Expression of Pain in Autism Spectrum Disorders 1.1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Behaviour and Expression of Pain in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Version 1.1
IRAS ID
228617
Contact name
Sarah Vaughan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Liverpool John Moores University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 13 days
Research summary
An explanation for altered pain in autism is derived from a socio-communicative perspective; pain is highly social, requiring social interaction, social communication, verbal and non-verbal behaviour, all of which are key deficits in autism, therefore it is likely that it is the expression of pain that is altered.
Unfortunately, due to the social impairments in this population, accurate pain assessment can be challenging. Observers must therefore rely on other modes of communication to decode their experiences. One objective way of doing this is by measuring non-verbal expressions of emotion, such as facial expressions.
A second important concept in regards to the study of pain is related to the real-world context. Pain typically has important contextual components that includes emotional and cognitive aspects that are difficult to replicate in a laboratory setting. Studying pain in real-world contexts is therefore imperative.We would therefore like to observe individuals with autism undergoing a routine dental treatment at the Liverpool University Dental Hospital by video recording their experience of cannula insertion. This will allow us to examine expressions during a routine procedure that is generally considered to be potentially painful; replicating the method used by other researchers.
The study design relies in the methodology of analysing facial expressions from the observation of momentary pain related behaviours such as a wince. These may last only a fraction of a second but can be detected on video playback using the Facial Action Coding System. The nature of facial action coding is to detect even the most subtle of movements, coding their intensity and frequency. This will allow us to determine if individuals with ASD express pain in a typical way, or rather if there is a set of ASD specific expression of pain.
REC name
North West - Haydock Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NW/0380
Date of REC Opinion
21 Jul 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion