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(https://www.psypost.org/face-processing-skills-linked-to-intelligence-and-autistic-traits-study-finds/) Scientists just discovered a key connection between face processing and intelligence
Feb 23rd 2025, 08:00

New research has revealed that the ability to process faces is not only connected to general intelligence but is also negatively associated with certain traits linked to autism. The study, published in the (https://doi.org/10.1177/17470218251323388) Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, found that individuals who performed well on face processing tasks also tended to score higher on intelligence tests. Conversely, those who reported more difficulties with nonverbal communication, a trait sometimes associated with autism, showed poorer face processing skills.
“Faces are such a critical part of our day-to-day lives, and most people don’t think about their face perception abilities,” said study author (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dana-Walker-7) Dana L. Walker of the University of Western Australia. “There is a lot of information we extract from the face, such as someone’s identity, emotional state, trustworthiness, and so on. But research is still needed to fully understand how we perceive faces, and especially how our ability to perceive faces relates to other aspects of our personality and cognition.”
For their study, the researchers recruited 253 participants from the general community through the TestableMinds platform. To ensure a relatively homogenous sample and minimize confounding variables, they established specific inclusion criteria. Participants had to be between 18 and 49 years old to ensure cognitive abilities are relatively stable. Residence in Australia, USA, UK, New Zealand, Canada, or Ireland was required due to shared linguistic and cultural similarities. The researchers also required participants to have English as their first language.
Upon recruitment, the participants completed a battery of tests designed to measure different aspects of face processing abilities, cognitive abilities, and trait autism. Four tests were administered to assess different components of face processing. The Mooney Face Task measured face detection ability. The Cambridge Face Perception Test (CFPT) assessed the ability to discriminate or individualize faces from each other. The Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT) measured the ability to encode a face to memory and recall that face at a later time. The emotion labelling task evaluated the ability to accurately identify facial expressions related to emotion. The Cambridge Car Memory Test (CCMT) was also administered to serve as a non-face comparison for the CFMT.
To measure the cognitive abilities of the participants, the researchers employed four tests designed to assess different aspects of intelligence. The Concrete and Abstract Words Synonym Test measured crystallized intelligence, a measure of accumulated knowledge and verbal skills. The paper folding test assessed visuospatial ability, involving the ability to visualize and mentally manipulate shapes and objects. The visual working memory test measured an individual’s memory span, the ability to hold and manipulate information in their mind. The Baddeley’s Semantic Verification Test measured speeded reasoning, specifically the ability to quickly and accurately process information.
To assess traits associated with autism, the researchers used the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a questionnaire to measure the dimensions of autism: deficits in communication, poor social skills, and attention to detail.
The researchers confirmed the existence of a general face processing ability factor (f). This means that individuals who perform well on one type of face processing task (such as recognizing emotions) tend to perform well on other face processing tasks as well (such as remembering faces). This factor suggests that there is an underlying general ability related to how our brains process faces.
Secondly, the study found a moderate, positive association between this general face processing ability factor (f) and general intelligence (g). This suggests that individuals with higher cognitive abilities tend to be better at processing faces. This association lends support to the idea that face processing could be considered a cognitive ability that is related to general intelligence.
Thirdly, and perhaps most notably, the study revealed that difficulties in nonverbal communication, a trait often associated with autism, were negatively associated with the general face processing ability factor (f). This indicates that individuals who struggle with nonverbal communication tend to have poorer face processing abilities. This negative association remained even when the researchers took overall intelligence into account, which suggests that these communication difficulties may be an independent factor affecting how people process faces.
Finally, face perception and face memory were found to uniquely predict expression recognition ability. It was found that face detection, face perception, and face memory have a relationship where face detection predicted face perception, face perception predicted face memory, and face memory predicted expression recognition ability.
“Not everyone finds it easy to extract information from faces about someone’s identity and emotional state,” Walker told PsyPost. “There are varying degrees of face perception ability ranging from poor perception of faces to very good perception of faces, and these differences are associated with other cognitive abilities and aspects of our personality. By better understanding how these abilities and traits relate to each other, we may be able to develop interventions for those who struggle with face perception.”
The findings provide support for the idea that face processing skills should be considered a broad cognitive ability in their own right, similar to skills such as reasoning or spatial thinking. This opens up the possibility that models of intelligence, which have traditionally focused on areas like memory, speed, and reasoning, might be expanded to include social and perceptual skills such as face processing. The researchers even propose that deficits in face memory—often used as a basis for diagnosing a condition called developmental prosopagnosia—might be viewed through the lens of a learning disability.
Importantly, the study was preregistered. In other words, the researchers publicly documented the study’s design, hypotheses, and analysis plan before data collection. This practice helps increase transparency and reduces the risk of researchers unconsciously biasing their findings or selectively reporting results.
“Ongoing, transparent, and rigorous research is important,” Walker explained. “It can help redefine and refine important theoretical and practical areas of psychology. For example, the definition and theoretical structure of intelligence, which has implication for many areas of our lives (such as our education systems), is continuously evolving as more research is conducted. Also, the way we evaluate the diagnosis protocol of clinical prosopagnosia (the inability to recognise faces) needs to be evaluated and refine as we understand more about face recognition.”
But the study, like all research, includes limitations.
“One caveat is the generalisability of our research,” Walker noted. “We collect data from predominantly Caucasian individuals from Western countries. Therefore, our findings may or may not generalise to different ethnicities and cultures. More research would be needed to replicate our findings in other countries and with different races.”
“There is more we need to understand about face perception, intelligence, and trait-autism. As mentioned, it would be good to replicate these findings in different populations to see how generalizable our findings are. We hope that this research provides the foundation for future research into face perception, intelligence, and trait-autism, especially in the field of developmental psychology.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1177/17470218251323388) The Inter-Association Between Face Processing, Intelligence, and Autistic-like Nonverbal Communication,” was authored by Dana Walker, Romina Palermo, and Gilles G. Gignac.

(https://www.psypost.org/fluoride-exposure-in-early-childhood-does-not-harm-intelligence-australian-study-finds/) Fluoride exposure in early childhood does not harm intelligence, Australian study finds
Feb 23rd 2025, 06:00

A new study published in the (https://doi.org/10.1177/00220345241299352) Journal of Dental Research provides reassuring evidence regarding the safety of early childhood fluoride exposure. Researchers found that exposure to fluoride in the first five years of life, whether through drinking water or as indicated by dental fluorosis, was not associated with lower intelligence scores in young adulthood.
Water fluoridation, the controlled addition of fluoride to public water supplies, and the use of fluoridated toothpaste are widely recognized as effective ways to prevent tooth decay. But there has been ongoing discussion about the potential effects of fluoride on brain development, especially in young children whose brains are still developing and may be more sensitive to environmental factors.
While several major reviews of existing research have concluded that fluoride levels typically found in water fluoridation programs do not harm children’s brain development, some researchers have continued to express concerns. These concerns often stem from studies that have reported links between fluoride exposure and lower intelligence scores, although the quality and reliability of these studies (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2828430) have been questioned.
To address this ongoing debate, a team of researchers led by (https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/29912) Loc Do at The University of Queensland in Australia set out to investigate if there was any connection between early life fluoride exposure and cognitive development in a group of young Australian adults. They aimed to use detailed measures of fluoride exposure and a well-established intelligence test to provide robust evidence.
“I am an oral epidemiologist with research interests in the effectiveness and safety of fluoride use in preventing dental caries,” said Do, a professor of dental public health. “I have conducted multiple research studies evaluating the balance of risk and benefit of fluoride use. The recent debate on the potential effect of fluoride on child development, including intelligence, has interested me. We succeeded in winning an Australia National Health and Medical Research Council grant to conduct a population-based longitudinal study to investigate the topic.”
The researchers used data from a large, long-term study called the Australia’s National Child Oral Health Study, which had collected information on children’s dental health and related factors between 2012 and 2014. This original study involved a carefully selected group of children from across Australia, designed to represent the broader Australian population. As part of the original study, parents answered detailed questionnaires about their children’s health, behaviors, and family backgrounds.
Trained dental professionals also examined the children’s teeth to assess dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis is a condition that can occur when children are exposed to too much fluoride while their teeth are forming. It appears as faint white lines or spots on the tooth enamel and serves as a visible marker of fluoride intake during early childhood.
Years later, between 2022 and 2023, the researchers contacted a subset of these original participants, who were now young adults aged 16 and older. They invited them to participate in intelligence testing. To ensure a balanced comparison, they first invited individuals who had been identified as having dental fluorosis in the original study. Then, they selected a random group of participants who did not have dental fluorosis, making sure these individuals were of similar age and gender to those with fluorosis.
To measure intelligence, the researchers used the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition, often referred to as the WAIS-IV. This is a widely respected and comprehensive test used to assess intellectual abilities in adults and older adolescents. The WAIS-IV involves a series of tasks designed to measure different aspects of intelligence, including verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed. From these tasks, a full-scale intelligence quotient, or IQ, score is calculated, providing an overall measure of intellectual ability.
All intelligence tests were administered individually in standardized testing environments, such as psychological clinics or specially arranged offices. This ensured that the tests were given under optimal conditions to obtain accurate and reliable results. The psychologists administering the tests were not informed about the participants’ fluoride exposure status to prevent any unconscious bias from influencing the testing process.
“We paid particular attention to collecting reliable IQ data by using qualified trained and calibrated psychologists,” Do noted.
To understand fluoride exposure, the researchers used two primary measures. First, they calculated the percentage of each participant’s life, up to the age of five, that they had lived in areas with fluoridated water. The second measure of fluoride exposure was the presence or absence of dental fluorosis, as assessed during the original child oral health study.
In their analysis, the researchers also considered other factors that could potentially influence intelligence scores. These included age, gender, family income, parental education, parents’ country of birth, whether the participant had been diagnosed with any neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or autism, duration of breastfeeding, and frequency of toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste in early childhood. By accounting for these factors, the researchers aimed to isolate the potential effects of fluoride exposure on intelligence.
The study’s findings revealed that, on average, the participants had a full-scale IQ score of 109.2, which is above the average population score of 100. Interestingly, when comparing groups based on fluoride exposure, the researchers found that those who had no exposure to fluoridated water in their first five years of life actually had slightly lower average IQ scores compared to those who had been exposed to fluoridated water for some or all of that time. However, statistical analyses indicated that these differences were not large enough to be considered statistically significant, meaning they could be due to chance.
Similarly, when comparing participants with and without dental fluorosis, there was no meaningful difference in their average IQ scores. Further sophisticated statistical tests, called equivalence tests, were used to determine if the intelligence scores of those exposed to fluoride were practically equivalent to those not exposed. These tests confirmed that the IQ scores of the fluoride-exposed groups were indeed equivalent to, and certainly not inferior to, the scores of the non-exposed groups.
The researchers also conducted additional analyses, looking at different subgroups of participants based on factors like gender, socioeconomic status, and neurodevelopmental diagnoses. These analyses consistently showed no negative association between early life fluoride exposure and intelligence scores. Furthermore, they examined scores on the different sub-indices of the WAIS-IV test (verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed) and found no link between fluoride exposure and performance on any of these specific cognitive abilities.
The findings are in line with previous research conducted by Do and his colleagues, which (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00220345221119431) found no evidence that fluoride exposure was associated with altered measures of behavioral development and executive functioning.
“The two studies using different primary outcomes of child development have provided strong evidence that early life exposure to fluoride as observed in Australia does not have negative impacts on child development,” Do told PsyPost. “That means that the current levels of fluoride are safe for Australian children.”
Looking forward, Do said he is interested in working with other researchers to address issues related to this topic. “I would seek opportunities to collaborate in researching the topic in populations with higher natural fluoride levels,” he said. “It is much harder to have quality data in those populations.”
“It is important to prevent mis- and disinformation surrounding this topic,” Do added. “I am concerned that a public health program has been politicized. The current scientific evidence indicates that community water fluoridation is effective and safe. Fluoridation cessation would negatively affect those in disadvantaged socioeconomic groups.”
The study, “(https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00220345241299352) Early Childhood Exposures to Fluorides and Cognitive Neurodevelopment: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study,” was authored by L.G. Do, A. Sawyer, A. John Spencer, S. Leary, J.K. Kuring, A.L. Jones, T. Le, C.E. Reece, and D.H. Ha.

(https://www.psypost.org/study-links-rising-suicidality-among-teen-girls-to-increase-in-identifying-as-lgbq/) Study links rising suicidality among teen girls to increase in identifying as LGBQ
Feb 22nd 2025, 12:00

A new study published in (https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X241305329) Educational Researcher suggests that the rise in suicidal thoughts and behaviors among high school girls in recent years might be connected to an increase in the number of girls identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning (LGBQ). While rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors remained steady within both heterosexual and LGBQ groups of girls, the overall rise in female suicidality appears linked to the increase in girls identifying as LGBQ, a group that historically faces greater social pressures and mental health challenges.
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that a substantial number of teenage girls have seriously considered suicide, made suicide plans, or attempted suicide in recent years. This increase has prompted examination into potential contributing factors, and the researchers aimed to explore a connection between this trend and the simultaneous increase in the number of girls identifying as LGBQ.
Previous research has consistently shown that LGBQ youth experience higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to their heterosexual peers. The new study sought to determine if the rise in overall suicidality among girls could be explained, at least in part, by a larger proportion of students now identifying as part of a more vulnerable population. Furthermore, the researchers wanted to compare these trends with those of male students, among whom changes in LGBQ identification have been less pronounced.
“Recent reports of rising suicidality among teenage girls caught our attention, but we noticed that discussions weren’t fully considering an important demographic shift occurring simultaneously – the significant increase in female students identifying as LGBQ. Given the well-documented higher rates of suicidality among LGBQ youth, we wanted to investigate whether these parallel trends might be connected,” explained study author Joseph Cimpian, a professor of economics and education policy at New York University.
To conduct their study, the researchers analyzed data from the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) collected in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021. The YRBS is a survey of high school students in grades 9 through 12 across the United States that collects data on health risk behaviors. The sample included 22,562 female and 22,130 male students who responded to questions about their sexual identity and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The survey asked students to identify their sexual orientation (heterosexual or LGBQ) and whether they had experienced suicidal thoughts, made suicide plans, or attempted suicide in the past year.
The researchers used statistical methods to analyze the data and examine trends in LGBQ identification and suicidality among both female and male students. They used logistic regression to predict LGBQ identification by year. They also used logistic regression to examine suicidality outcomes by year and tested for interactions between sexual identity and year.
To see if the changes in LGBQ identification could statistically explain the rise in suicidality among girls, they adjusted the suicidality rates to account for the changes in LGBQ identification over time. They also used an algorithm to account for potentially mischievous responses from students who might have provided invalid data. Finally, they looked at trends separately for White students and students of color to see if there were different patterns across racial and ethnic groups.
The researchers found a substantial increase in the proportion of high school girls identifying as LGBQ between 2015 and 2021. In 2015, about 15% of female students identified as LGBQ, but by 2021, this number had risen to 34%. This represents a significant increase. In contrast, the percentage of male students identifying as LGBQ showed only a small increase, from 6% in 2015 to 9% in 2021.
The researchers also found that suicidal thoughts, suicide plans, and suicide attempts were significantly higher among female students in 2021 compared to previous years. However, when they analyzed the data separately for LGBQ and heterosexual females, they found that the rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors remained stable within each group. LGBQ females consistently reported higher rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to heterosexual females, but there was no notable increase or decrease in these rates over time within the LGBQ group. This suggests that the increase in overall suicidality among females was primarily driven by the increasing number of girls identifying as LGBQ.
When the researchers adjusted the overall suicidality rates to account for changes in LGBQ identification, the significant differences in suicidality rates among females in 2021 compared to other years disappeared. In other words, once the researchers accounted for the fact that more girls identified as LGBQ in 2021, there were no longer significant differences in suicidality rates among females across the years. These patterns remained the same even after accounting for potentially mischievous and invalid responses.
“We were struck by how consistent the rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors are when looking just among heterosexual girls or just among LGBQ girls,” Cimpian told PsyPost. “That is, the much-reported trends of increasing suicidality among girls as a whole are not found when looking within just heterosexual or just LGBQ girls. ”
For males, the researchers found minimal changes in suicidality after adjusting for LGBQ identification. As expected, the small increase in male LGBQ identification did little to explain the trends in male suicidality. Both White and students of color showed similar trends, including rising LGBQ identification and the lack of significant suicidality differences after accounting for sexual identity.
“While overall female suicidality increased between 2015 and 2021, we found that rates remained stable within both LGBQ and heterosexual groups separately – suggesting that the overall increase stems from more students being part of a group (LGBQ) that has historically experienced higher suicide risk due to social and structural pressures,” Cimpian explained. “This finding indicates that addressing rising suicidality among teenage girls requires focusing on supporting LGBQ youth specifically, rather than assuming all girls are becoming more suicidal.”
But as with all research, there are some limitations to consider. The survey data only included binary sex categories (female and male) and did not measure gender identity. This means the researchers could not examine any patterns for transgender youth. Future research could continue to monitor trends in suicidality among LGBQ youth and examine the factors that contribute to their increased risk. The research team hopes to gain a better understanding of the ways in which school policies and the broader social climate contribute to the mental health outcomes of students with diverse sexual identities.
“We plan to examine how school policies and resources affect outcomes for LGBQ students, particularly as many states consider legislation affecting LGBTQ+ youth in schools,” Cimpian said. “We’re also interested in understanding how intersecting identities and school climate factors influence student wellbeing and mental health outcomes.”
The study, “(https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/0013189X241305329) An Overlooked Explanation for Increasing Suicidality: LGBQ Stressors Felt by More Students,” was authored by Joseph R. Cimpian and Mollie T. McQuillan.

(https://www.psypost.org/mindfulness-training-may-help-with-symptoms-of-irritable-bowel-syndrome-study-finds/) Mindfulness training may help with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, study finds
Feb 22nd 2025, 10:00

A recent study of adult women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) found that an 8‑week mindfulness training program led to significantly lower IBS symptoms at 6 and 12 months after the training. Additionally, anxiety and depression symptoms improved in this group. The study was published in (https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02435-1) Mindfulness.
Irritable bowel syndrome is a common digestive disorder that affects the large intestine. It causes symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. Although the exact cause of IBS is unknown, factors such as stress, diet, and an imbalance of gut bacteria are believed to contribute to the condition. Individuals with IBS may experience symptom flare-ups triggered by certain foods or emotional stress.
Currently, there is no cure for IBS, but lifestyle changes, dietary adjustments, and stress management can help control symptoms. Some individuals benefit from probiotics, fiber supplements, or medications prescribed by a doctor. Regular physical activity and adequate hydration also play a role in managing IBS. Because symptoms vary among individuals, treatments are often personalized based on specific triggers and needs.
Study author Susan A. Gaylord and her colleagues aimed to explore how mindfulness training might help alleviate IBS symptoms compared to a social support group—a standard psychological support treatment for this disorder. Their hypothesis was that mindfulness training would have a more lasting effect on IBS symptoms than the support group.
The study involved 75 adult women with IBS who did not have other serious somatic or mental health conditions. Sixty-six participants completed follow-up questionnaires at 6 and 12 months after treatment. Participants were randomly assigned to either the mindfulness training group or the social support group.
Both intervention groups met in small groups for 2 hours once a week over an 8‑week period and participated in a half‑day “retreat” after the sixth session. The mindfulness intervention was delivered by an instructor with over 10 years of experience teaching the mindfulness‑based stress reduction program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. This version of mindfulness training was adapted to meet the needs of women with IBS.
Participants completed assessments measuring IBS symptoms (using the Irritable Bowel Symptom Severity Score), IBS‑related quality of life (the IBS‑Quality of Life scale), visceral sensitivity (the 15‑item Visceral Sensitivity Index), psychological distress (the Brief Symptom Inventory – 18), and mindfulness (the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire). These assessments were administered at enrollment, 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. This analysis focused on the data collected at 6 and 12 months after the start of the study.
Results showed that 6 months after the start of the study, participants in the mindfulness training group had significantly lower IBS symptoms compared to those in the social support group. Although the difference between the two groups was smaller at 12 months, it still favored the mindfulness training group.
The mindfulness training group also showed improvements in visceral sensitivity at both 6 and 12 months, while no changes were observed in the social support group. Similarly, at 6 months, the mindfulness training group demonstrated improvements compared to baseline, whereas the social support group did not show substantial changes.
“Beneficial effects of an 8-week MT [mindfulness training] program tailored for IBS persist for up to 12 months after the training,” the study authors concluded.
While the study sheds light on the potential benefits of mindfulness training for managing IBS symptoms, it is important to note that the main outcomes were self‑reported. Participants were fully aware of the treatment they received and likely of the study authors’ expectations, which means that the Hawthorne effect could have influenced the results—some participants might have aligned their responses with what they believed the study authors expected to see.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02435-1) Mindfulness Training Has Long‑Term Therapeutic Benefits in Women With Irritable Bowel Syndrome,” was authored by Susan A. Gaylord, Olafur S. Palsson, Eric L. Garland, John Douglas Mann, Karen Bluth, William Whitehead, and Keturah R. Faurot.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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