A Preliminary Study on Correlation Between Independent Components of Facial Thermal Images and Subjective Assessment of Chronic Stress

In recent years, the focus on mental health care in Japan has increased, leading to more attention from companies towards the mental well-being of their employees. Chronic stress, stemming from various sources including work and relationships, poses a significant threat to physical health. To address this, there is a growing need for daily monitoring of stress levels and early detection of chronic stress. This paper presents a preliminary experimental study into the relationship between facial skin temperature distribution and chronic stress. The study investigates the correlation between subjective measures obtained through questionnaires and facial skin temperature distribution, hypothesizing that chronic stress can be estimated based on FTI. The study utilizes both psychological questionnaires and FTI to examine the relationship between subjective and physiological indicators of stress. Results indicate correlations between certain components of FTI, such as asymmetry and facial regions, and psychological stress levels as measured by the questionnaire. However, further analysis reveals complexities in these relationships, suggesting that certain features in FTI may not directly correspond to psychological stress. Limitations of the study, including misalignment of feature points and variations in stress events among subjects, are discussed.