Emotional factors of social perception deficit in neurasthenia

Introduction. The study is aimed at identifying emotional factors that determine the deficit of social perception in neurasthenia. Theoretical analysis. Insufficient knowledge of the phenomenology of neurasthenia and the difficulties of its differential diagnosis at the stage of pathological personality development is shown. The lack of targeted assistance to patients and their objectively rapid disability is emphasized. The hypothesis is formulated that patients with neurasthenia have a pronounced violation of social perception, determined by social anhedonia. Empirical analysis. In the group of patients with neurasthenia, in comparison with healthy subjects, there are pronounced difficulties in recognizing emotions by verbal and nonverbal manifestations, finding the necessary tone of communication and weakness of analytical abilities that allow to anticipate the dynamics of social situations. Factor analysis has shown the decisive role of emotional determinants in the development of the studied disorders – a high level of social anhedonia and associated personal, reactive anxiety and depression. Conclusion. Emotional factors form a pronounced social anhedonia that determines the formation of social perception deficit. A weak focus on the details of social situations, a tendency to attribute one’s own experiences to others determine the low level of effectiveness of social interaction, gradual withdrawal from contacts and complete social disintegration.

neurasthenia, social anhedonia, social perception, social disintegration, disability