The development of facial emotion identification test in young adults

Emotions are first reflected in people's facial expressions and the facial area has an important role in recognizing emotions. From this point of view, this study was conducted in order to develop the "The Test of Identification Facial Emotions in Young Adults (GEDTT)" and to determine its reliability and validity. The sample of the study consists of 370 young adult individuals between the ages of 18-25, studying at a foundation university in Istanbul. Sociodemographic information forms are given to the participants in the study. GEDTT test-retest application is performed. In addition, Emotion Identification Test from Facial Expressions of Healthy Individuals in Turkish Society (TTDTT), Facial Emotion Identification Test (FEIT), Toronto Empathy Scale (TES) and Tromso Social Intelligence Scale (TSIS) were applied. While evaluating the data, descriptive statistical methods (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, minimum, maximum) and Multiple Attribute Multiple Method (WPSM), which was adopted as the basic analytical strategy, were used to demonstrate the reliability and validity of the GEDTT scale, which is the main purpose of the study. Model test results produced quite good of fit statistics and showed that the model was supported by the data: χ2 (50, N = 370) = 84.37, p <.05; CFI: .96; RMSEA: .043 and SRMR: .048, GFI: .99 and AGFI: .97. As it is can be seen from the results, a high level and statistically significant relationship was found between the first measurement and the second measurement, thus the basic evidence that the developed scale can make stable measurements is found (r = .64). Significant results were also obtained regarding the disgust and neutral emotional facial expression in the test. In addition, it was found that the participants' emotional facial expressions of individuals from their own age group were found to be quite high when compared to the emotional facial expressions of adults from their own culture (GEDTT1: 57,09/70; GEDTT2: 63,81/70; TTDTT:59,12/70). While the participants easily recognized the emotional facial expressions of people from their own culture, it was found that they had difficulty recognizing emotional facial expressions belonging to different cultures. When the results of emotion recognition tests (GEDTT, TTDTT, FEIT), Toronto Empathy Scale (TEI) and Tromso Social Intelligence Scale (TSIS) are evaluated; female participants compared to male participants, undergraduate students compared to associate degree students, it was found that the rates of correct recognition of emotional expressions and the rates of empathy and social intelligence were high. In conclusion, it has been determined that GEDTT is a reliable and valid measurement tool in the evaluation of 5 basic emotions ((happiness, anger, sadness, fear, surprise). It is found that, GEDTT can be used as an effective measurement tool in evaluating emotion identification skills, which are one of the main factors in assessment and therapies in the field of mental health. Keywords: Emotion; Emotion Identification; Young Adult; Empathy; Social Intelligence.