Microexpression Recognition Training in Left-Behind Children in China

The left-behind children could have impairment in emotional expressions recognition. A microexpression recognition training tool developed by the authors was used to address the possible emotional recognition deficits of left-behind children. Forty middle school students participated in the study; half of them were left-behind children. They received the microexpression recognition training and took surveys of Interpersonal Reactivity Index and the Big Five Personality Inventory. The results showed that (1) the microexpression training was equally effective for left-behind children and non-left-behind children in China; (2) the left-behind children had an advantage recognizing spontaneous microexpressions; (3) girls perform better than boys after microexpression recognition training while conducting microexpression training tool (METT) task; (4) the personality trait of openness had a close relationship with microexpression recognizing, and fantasy of Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) had a significant positive partial correlation with gain score of METT test. The current results indicated there was no impairment of emotional expressions recognition in left-behind children. The study also showed the effectiveness of a Chinese version of microexpression training tool designed for Asian adolescents.