Psychological functioning in survivors of COVID-19: evidence from recognition of fearful facial expressions

This is the dataset associated with the article titled: "Psychological functioning in survivors of COVID-19: evidence from recognition of fearful facial expressions". Abstract. Evidence about the psychological functioning in individuals who survived the COVID-19 infectious is still rare in the literature. In this paper, we investigated fearful facial expressions recognition, as a behavioural means to assess psychological functioning. From May 15th, 2020 to January 30th, 2021, we enrolled sixty Italian individuals admitted in multiple Italian COVID-19 post-intensive care units. The detection and recognition of fearful facial expressions were assessed through an experimental task grounded on an attentional mechanism (i.e., the redundant target effect). According to the results, our participants showed an altered behaviour in detecting and recognizing fearful expressions. Specifically, their performance was in disagreement with the expected behavioural effect. Our study suggested altered processing of fearful expressions in individuals who survived the COVID-19 infectious. Such a difficulty might represent a crucial sign of psychological distress and it should be addressed in tailored psychological interventions in rehabilitative settings and after discharge. Evidence about the psychological functioning in individuals who survived the COVID-19 infectious is still rare in the literature. In this paper, we investigated fearful facial expressions recognition, as a behavioural means to assess psychological functioning. From May 15th, 2020 to January 30th, 2021, we enrolled sixty Italian individuals admitted in multiple Italian COVID-19 post-intensive care units. The detection and recognition of fearful facial expressions were assessed through an experimental task grounded on an attentional mechanism (i.e., the redundant target effect). According to the results, our participants showed an altered behaviour in detecting and recognizing fearful expressions. Specifically, their performance was in disagreement with the expected behavioural effect. Our study suggested altered processing of fearful expressions in individuals who survived the COVID-19 infectious. Such a difficulty might represent a crucial sign of psychological distress and it should be addressed in tailored psychological interventions in rehabilitative settings and after discharge.本数据集关联的论文标题为：《新型冠状病毒肺炎康复者的心理功能：基于恐惧面部表情识别的研究证据》。摘要：目前文献中关于新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）康复者的心理功能相关研究证据仍较为匮乏。本研究以恐惧面部表情识别作为评估心理功能的行为学手段，对其展开了探究。2020年5月15日至2021年1月30日期间，我们招募了60名入住意大利多家新型冠状病毒肺炎重症监护后病房的意大利受试者。我们通过一项基于注意机制（即冗余靶效应（redundant target effect））的实验任务，对恐惧面部表情的检测与识别能力进行了评估。研究结果显示，本研究受试者在恐惧表情的检测与识别过程中表现出行为模式异常。具体而言，其任务表现与预期的行为效应并不相符。本研究提示，新型冠状病毒肺炎康复者对恐惧表情的加工过程存在异常。此类识别障碍可能是心理痛苦的关键指征，应在康复机构及出院后的个性化心理干预中予以关注与干预。目前文献中关于新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）康复者的心理功能相关研究证据仍较为匮乏。本研究以恐惧面部表情识别作为评估心理功能的行为学手段，对其展开了探究。2020年5月15日至2021年1月30日期间，我们招募了60名入住意大利多家新型冠状病毒肺炎重症监护后病房的意大利受试者。我们通过一项基于注意机制（即冗余靶效应（redundant target effect））的实验任务，对恐惧面部表情的检测与识别能力进行了评估。研究结果显示，本研究受试者在恐惧表情的检测与识别过程中表现出行为模式异常。具体而言，其任务表现与预期的行为效应并不相符。本研究提示，新型冠状病毒肺炎康复者对恐惧表情的加工过程存在异常。此类识别障碍可能是心理痛苦的关键指征，应在康复机构及出院后的个性化心理干预中予以关注与干预。