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Pomareda C, Devine RT, Apperly IA. Mindreading quality versus quantity: A theoretically and empirically motivated two-factor structure for individual differences in adults' mindreading. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305270. [PMID: 38917230 PMCID: PMC11198895 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Existing methods for studying individual differences in adults' mindreading often lack good psychometric characteristics. Moreover, it remains unclear, even in theory, how mindreading varies in adults who already possess an understanding of mental states. In this pre-registered study, it was hypothesised that adults vary in their motivation for mindreading and in the degree to which their answers on mindreading tasks are appropriate (context-sensitive). These factors are confounded in existing measures as they do not differentiate between the frequency of mental state terms (MST), indicative of motivation, and the quality of an explanation. Using an innovative scoring system, the current study examined whether individual differences in adult undergraduate psychology students' (N = 128) answer quality and / or quantity of explicit references to others' mental states on two open-ended response mindreading tasks were separable constructs, accounted for by mindreading motivation, and related differentially to measures previously linked with mindreading (e.g., religiosity, loneliness, social network size). A two-factor and one-factor model both provided acceptable fit. Neither model showed significant associations with mindreading motivation. However, a two-factor model (with MST and response appropriateness loading onto separate factors) provided greater explanatory power. Specifically, MST was positively associated with religiosity and response appropriateness was negatively associated with religiosity, whilst the one-factor solution did not predict any socially relevant outcomes. This provides some indication that mindreading quantity and mindreading quality may be distinguishable constructs in the structure of individual differences in mindreading.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rory T. Devine
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
| | - Ian A. Apperly
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
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Nakamichi K, Nakamichi N, Nakazawa J. Longitudinal Relations Among Executive Function, Theory of Mind, and Japanese Language Skills Achievement in Elementary School: A 4-year Longitudinal Study. Psychol Rep 2024; 127:1336-1354. [PMID: 36250541 DOI: 10.1177/00332941221133010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
This longitudinal study investigated the roles of elementary schoolers' executive function (EF) and theory of mind (ToM) as predictors in their academic achievements in Japanese language skills (e.g., speaking and listening ability, writing ability, reading ability, and linguistic knowledge) from first through fifth grade. We assessed the EF, ToM, and academic achievements of 85 Japanese elementary schoolers, when they were grade 1 (M = 90.19 months) and grade 3 (M = 114.34 months). Moreover, academic achievements of same children tested in grade 5 (M = 137.92 months). A path analysis revealed that EF abilities in Grades 1 and 3 predicted Japanese language achievement via ToM ability, and EF and ToM in Grade 1 had an indirect effect on achievements in Grades 3 and 5. Further, Japanese language skills achievement in Grade 1 predicted EF ability in Grade 3 and EF predicted achievement in Grade 5. These findings indicate the vital role of elementary schoolers' EF on academic achievement in Japan.
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Wu Y, Liu X, Zhang S. Training deaf college students to improve their theory of mind: based on a two-component model. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1361878. [PMID: 38694438 PMCID: PMC11061503 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1361878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper explored the training methods to improve the level of deaf college students' ToM. Eighty deaf college students were selected as participants and randomly divided into experimental group and control group. The ToM training group received ToM training; The non-ToM training group received physical-conversation training. Cognitive ToM task and affective ToM task were used to investigate the training effect. After training, the level of ToM of deaf college students who received ToM training was significantly improved. The results show that ToM training can effectively promote the level of deaf college students' ToM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wu
- School of Marxism, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiping Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shengnan Zhang
- Faculty of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
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Devine RT, Grumley Traynor I, Ronchi L, Lecce S. Children in ethnically diverse classrooms and those with cross-ethnic friendships excel at understanding others' minds. Child Dev 2024. [PMID: 38429980 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
This study examined the link between classroom ethnic diversity, cross-ethnic friendships, and children's theory of mind. In total, 730 children in the United Kingdom (54.7% girls, 51.5% White) aged 8 to 13 years completed measures of theory of mind in 2019/2020. Controlling for verbal ability, executive function, peer social preference, and teacher-reported demographic characteristics, greater classroom ethnic diversity provided opportunities for cross-ethnic friendships, and children with cross-ethnic friendships performed better than peers without cross-ethnic friendships on theory of mind. These results extend accounts of intergroup contact by using direct assessments of children's theory of mind and advance social accounts of theory of mind by demonstrating how experiences outside the family are linked with theory of mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory T Devine
- Centre for Developmental Science, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Imogen Grumley Traynor
- Centre for Developmental Science, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Luca Ronchi
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Science, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Serena Lecce
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Science, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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Yeung EKL, Apperly IA, Devine RT. Measures of individual differences in adult theory of mind: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 157:105481. [PMID: 38036161 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM), the ability to understand and reason about mental states, has been extensively studied in young children and clinical populations. A growing interest in examining ToM in adults has emerged over the past two decades, but the extent to which existing measures are suitable for studying adults, especially in detecting individual differences, remains understudied. In this systematic review of 273 studies, 75 measures used to investigate individual differences in adults' ToM were identified. Their sensitivity to individual differences, reliability, and validity were examined. Results suggest that ceiling effects were prevalent, and there was limited evidence to establish the reliability or validity of these measures due to the lack of reports of psychometric properties. Interrelations among measures were inconsistent. These findings highlight the need for future empirical and theoretical work to broaden the evidence base regarding psychometric properties of measures, to develop new measures, and to lay out more specific hypotheses about the relevance of ToM for different social outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Kit Ling Yeung
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
| | - Ian A Apperly
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Rory T Devine
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
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Tonini E, Bischetti L, Del Sette P, Tosi E, Lecce S, Bambini V. The relationship between metaphor skills and Theory of Mind in middle childhood: Task and developmental effects. Cognition 2023; 238:105504. [PMID: 37354784 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
Theoretical pragmatics in the post-Gricean tradition argued that metaphor requires understanding of how another person sees the world. Yet, it is unclear what role mindreading plays in developing metaphor skills. Here we examined the relationship between metaphor and Theory of Mind (ToM) in middle childhood by using two different tasks. In addition to the Physical and Mental Metaphors task (PMM), based on the verbal explanation of physical and mental metaphors, we revived the Referential Metaphors task for children (Noveck, Bianco, & Castry, 2001), where metaphorical and literal referents are presented in a narrative context. The sample included 169 8-, 9-, and 10-year-old children, assessed also for ToM (via the Strange Stories) and other linguistic and cognitive skills as control variables. In the PMM, ToM supported the understanding of mental (but not physical) metaphors in 9-year-olds only, whereas in the Referential Metaphors task ToM supported accuracy of understanding metaphors (but not literal items) in younger children as well. At age 10, ToM effects were negligible in both tasks. These findings suggest that ToM has a task-specific role in metaphor, linked to the characteristics of the items in the task at stake, being for instance greater for metaphors with mental (compared to physical) content and for non-literal (compared to literal) referents. The findings also suggest that the relationship between ToM and metaphor skills is developmental sensitive, as children start to capitalize on ToM earlier in development when the metaphor context is richer, and these effects fade with age. Theoretically, these data argue in favor of the relevance-theoretic account of metaphor, spelling out different ways in which ToM might support metaphor resolution across tasks, for instance by providing better access to the psychological lexicon (i.e., terms referring to mental states) and better context processing, serving as a springboard to achieve sophisticated pragmatic skills in middle childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Tonini
- Laboratory of Neurolinguistics and Experimental Pragmatics (NEP), Department of Humanities and Life Sciences, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, Pavia, Italy
| | - Luca Bischetti
- Laboratory of Neurolinguistics and Experimental Pragmatics (NEP), Department of Humanities and Life Sciences, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, Pavia, Italy
| | - Paola Del Sette
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Italy
| | - Eleonora Tosi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Italy
| | - Serena Lecce
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Italy
| | - Valentina Bambini
- Laboratory of Neurolinguistics and Experimental Pragmatics (NEP), Department of Humanities and Life Sciences, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, Pavia, Italy..
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Gönültaş S, Mulvey KL. Do Adolescents Intervene in Intergroup Bias-based Bullying? Bystander Judgments and Responses to Intergroup Bias-based Bullying of Refugees. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2023; 33:4-23. [PMID: 35373445 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study examined 587 Turkish adolescents' (Mage = 13.14, SD = 1.61) judgments and bystander responses towards hypothetical intragroup interpersonal (Turkish victim) and intergroup bias-based (Syrian refugee victim) bullying. Intergroup factors and social-cognitive skills were assessed as predictors. Findings revealed that adolescents were less likely to see bullying as acceptable and less likely to explicitly support the bully in intragroup interpersonal bullying compared to intergroup bias-based bullying. Further, adolescents with higher theory of mind and empathy were more likely to evaluate intergroup bias-based bullying as less acceptable and more likely to challenge the bully. Adolescents' prejudice and discrimination towards refugees were predictors of bystander judgments and responses to intergroup bias-based bullying. This study provides implications for anti-bullying intervention programs.
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Lee SC, Fu IN, Liu MR, Yu TY, Chen KL. Factorial Validity of the Theory of Mind Inventory-2 in Typically Developing Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:310-318. [PMID: 35028808 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05426-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The Theory of Mind Inventory-2 (ToMI-2) is a promising measure for assessing theory of mind (ToM) and social-related functions. However, limited evidence on its factorial validity hampers score interpretation. To examine the factorial validity, confirmatory factor analysis for two currently-available structures was performed in 420 typically developing children aged three to seven years. One, the development-based structure, contains three stages of ToM development: the early, basic, and advanced ToM stages. The other, the social-related structure, comprises three social-related ToM functions: emotion recognition, mental state term comprehension, and pragmatics. The results showed that these structures and the unidimensionality of each domain were not supported even after modifications. Thus, further revisions and examinations of the underlying structures of the ToMI-2 are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Chieh Lee
- Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan (R.O.C.).,School of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan (R.O.C.).,Institute of Long-Term Care, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - I-Ning Fu
- School of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan (R.O.C.).,Child Developmental Assessment & Intervention Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Meng-Ru Liu
- Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Tzu-Ying Yu
- Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
| | - Kuan-Lin Chen
- Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan (R.O.C.). .,Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan (R.O.C.). .,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan (R.O.C.).
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Sacco L, Morellini L, Cerami C. Editorial: The diagnosis and the therapy of social cognition deficits in adults affected by ADHD and MCI. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1162510. [PMID: 36937525 PMCID: PMC10018807 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1162510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Sacco
- Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Leonardo Sacco
| | - Lucia Morellini
- Neuropsychological and Speech Therapy Unit, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Universitá della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Cerami
- IUSS Cognitive Neuroscience (ICoN) Center, University School for Advanced Studies IUSS-Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Cognitive Computational Neuroscience Research Unit, Mondino Foundation IRCCS, Pavia, Italy
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What does the Strange Stories test measure? Developmental and within-test variation. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Bray KO, Pozzi E, Vijayakumar N, Richmond S, Seal M, Pantelis C, Anderson V, Whittle S. Empathy and resting-state functional connectivity in children. NEUROIMAGE: REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2022.100142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Rossetto F, Isernia S, Cabinio M, Pirastru A, Blasi V, Baglio F. Affective Theory of Mind as a residual ability to preserve mentalizing in amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: A 12-months longitudinal study. Front Neurol 2022; 13:1060699. [PMID: 36468066 PMCID: PMC9716015 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1060699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Theory of Mind (ToM) decline has been outlined in people with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI), but evidence from longitudinal studies is lacking. This longitudinal study aims to investigate changes in cognitive and affective ToM performance in an aMCI sample (n = 28; 14 females, mean age = 76.54 ± 4.35). METHOD Participants underwent two steps of neurocognitive evaluation, at the baseline (T1) and 12-month follow-up (T2), to obtain their global cognitive level and both affective (Reading the Mind in the Eyes test, ET) and cognitive (Strange Stories, SS) ToM profile. Then, participants were categorized into two groups based on ToM changes: people who worsened (ETΔ < 0; SSΔ < 0) and people who did not (ETΔ≥0; SSΔ≥0) at follow-up. Differences between groups in cognitive functions and ToM profiles at baseline have been investigated. RESULTS Our results showed that 46% of subjects worsened in affective (ET) and 28% in cognitive (SS) ToM at follow-up. People who worsened in ET reported a statistically significantly higher performance in ET at baseline (p = 0.002) but not at follow-up than people who did not worsen. In contrast, subjects who worsened in SS showed a lower Immediate Free Recall (IFR, p = 0.026) and Delayed Free Recall (DFR, p = 0.028) score of the Free and Cued Selective Reminding test at baseline and at follow-up, a lower ET (p = 0.020) baseline score, a lower SS and MMSE level at follow-up than people who not worsened. About 71% of MCI subjects showed the same trend of evolution of the Mini-Mental State Examination and SS. Variables that significantly differed between groups have been inserted in a stepwise logistic regression to pilot explore predictors of affective and cognitive ToM evolution. Logistic regression showed ET at baseline (p = 0.015) as the only significant predictor of affective ToM evolution (R2 = 0.450), while both ET (p = 0.044) and memory performance (p = 0.045) at baseline significantly predicted cognitive ToM evolution (R2 = 0.746). DISCUSSION In conclusion, our results support the role of affective ToM as a residual mentalizing ability in preserving the mentalizing level in people with aMCI.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Isernia
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Milan, Italy
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Hou XH, Liu Y, Li Y, Wang LY. Sequence of theory of mind acquisition in ethnic minority children in China: A comparison of Zhuang and Han samples. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03945-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Santini A, Bullen JC, Zajic MC, McIntyre N, Mundy P. Brief Report: The Factors Associated with Social Cognition in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2022:10.1007/s10803-022-05794-7. [PMID: 36287328 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05794-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
This study examined whether school-aged autistic children without co-occurring intellectual disabilities (autisticWoID) show similar difficulty on Theory of Mind (ToM) tasks as young autisticWoID children and if these difficulties are related to problems in domain-general aspects of cognition. Eighty-one autisticWoID and 44 neurotypical (NT) children between the ages of 8-16 years participated in this study and were matched on verbal IQ. ToM performance significantly and independently differentiated many, but not all, autisticWoID and NT participants above and beyond the effects of working memory and inferential thinking. However, these cognitive variables did not fully explain difficulties with social cognition in autisticWoID children. These findings have implications for understanding autism, the factors that may impact intervention for social cognition in autism, and the factors that impact the education of autistic children who may struggle in general education classrooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anysa Santini
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer C Bullen
- Department of Human Ecology, Human Development, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave, 1315 Hart Hall, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Matthew C Zajic
- Intellectual Disability/Autism Program, Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- School of Education, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Nancy McIntyre
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Health Professions and Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
- School of Education, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Peter Mundy
- School of Education, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
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Individual differences in brain structure and self-reported empathy in children. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE, & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 22:1078-1089. [PMID: 35338471 PMCID: PMC9458571 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-00993-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Empathy refers to the understanding and sharing of others’ emotions and comprises cognitive and affective components. Empathy is important for social functioning, and alterations in empathy have been demonstrated in many developmental or psychiatric disorders. While several studies have examined associations between empathy and brain structure in adults, few have investigated this relationship in children. Investigating associations between empathy and brain structure during childhood will help us to develop a deeper understanding of the neural correlates of empathy across the lifespan. A total of 125 children (66 females, mean age 10 years) underwent magnetic resonance imaging brain scans. Grey matter volume and cortical thickness from structural images were examined using the Computational Anatomy Toolbox (CAT12) within Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM12) software. Children completed questionnaire measures of empathy (cognitive empathy, affective empathy: affective sharing, empathic concern, and empathic distress). In hypothesised region of interest analyses, individual differences in affective and cognitive empathy were related to grey matter volume in the insula and the precuneus. Although these relationships were of similar strength to those found in previous research, they did not survive correction for the total number of models computed. While no significant findings were detected between grey matter volume and empathy in exploratory whole-brain analysis, associations were found between cortical thickness and empathic concern in the right precentral gyrus. This study provides preliminary evidence that individual differences in self-reported empathy in children may be related to aspects of brain structure. Findings highlight the need for more research investigating the neurobiological correlates of empathy in children.
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van der Kleij SW, Apperly I, Shapiro LR, Ricketts J, Devine RT. Reading fiction and reading minds in early adolescence: A longitudinal study. J Exp Child Psychol 2022; 222:105476. [PMID: 35709569 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Reading fiction is argued to have benefits for our understanding of others' thoughts, feelings and desires, referred to as 'theory of mind'(ToM). We aimed to test this assumption by examining whether children's reading experience is longitudinally associated with later ToM. We examined reading experience and ToM in 236 children between the ages of 11-13 years. Participants were asked to report on their time spent reading both fiction and non-fiction at ages 11 and 13, ToM was measured at age 13. Verbal ability, reading comprehension, and reading motivation were included as control variables in all analyses. Results showed that children's self-reported fiction, but not their non-fiction reading was associated with ToM. Further, the association was concurrent but not longitudinal: fiction reading and ToM at age 13 were associated but fiction reading at age 11 did not predict ToM at age 13. Our findings motivate further research on what types of reading materials might be beneficial, and the level of exposure to fiction that is needed for measurable benefits for later ToM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne W van der Kleij
- Centre for Developmental Science, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; School of Psychology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK.
| | - Ian Apperly
- Centre for Developmental Science, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Laura R Shapiro
- School of Psychology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
| | - Jessie Ricketts
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Rory T Devine
- Centre for Developmental Science, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Disturbances in interpersonal functioning are prevalent in individuals with suicidality. Foundational for interpersonal functioning is theory of mind (ToM), a social-cognitive ability that allows individuals to understand the thoughts and feelings of others. Recent work has begun to investigate ToM performance in individuals with suicidality, though no review has quantitatively aggregated findings from these varied studies. The current study investigated the relations between ToM and suicidality with meta-analysis. METHOD We identified and meta-analyzed 15 studies that presented data for 2,895 participants (617 of whom had reported at least one suicide attempt). RESULTS Results indicated a significant, negative relation between ToM and suicidality with a medium overall effect size (g = -.475). Moderator analyses revealed that this effect was consistent across age, sex, ToM content, and suicidal outcome. CONCLUSION Deficits in ToM associated with suicidality hold promise for risk-identification, treatment, and prevention work.HighlightsTheory of mind (ToM) abilities are critical for effective interpersonal functioning.Meta-analytics results indicate that ToM deficits are associated with suicidality.Identifying such suicidality-related ToM deficits may inform risk-identification, treatment, and prevention work.
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Wu Y, Liu X, Zhang S, Zhong R. Training College Students with Hearing Loss in Theory of Mind. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2022; 27:423-433. [PMID: 35797703 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This paper explored training methods to improve the Theory of Mind levels of Chinese college students with hearing loss and investigated the transfer effect of training. Ninety Chinese college students with hearing loss were randomly divided into two groups: the ToM training group and the physical-conversation training group. The ToM training group received ToM training, and the physical-conversation training group as the control group received physical-conversation training. All the participants attended four separate 60-min lectures. The ToM Story Task and the False Belief Task were used to assess the training's effect, and the ToM animation task was adopted to investigate the transfer effect. Before training, the level of ToM of the two participant groups was similar. After training, the ToM level of Chinese college students with hearing loss who participated in ToM training was significantly higher than the students who underwent physical-conversation training. Moreover, the findings revealed that ToM training has long-term transfer effects. This study thus showed that ToM training can effectively improve the ToM level of Chinese college students with hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wu
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiping Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shengnan Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Rubo Zhong
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
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Navarro E. What is theory of mind? A psychometric study of theory of mind and intelligence. Cogn Psychol 2022; 136:101495. [PMID: 35751918 DOI: 10.1016/j.cogpsych.2022.101495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) is an essential ability for social competence and communication, and it is necessary for understanding behaviors that differ from our own (Premack & Woodruff, 1978). Recent research suggests that tasks designed to measure ToM do not adequately capture a single ToM ability (Warnell & Redcay, 2019; Quesque & Rossetti, 2020) and, instead, might be related to tasks of general cognitive ability (Coyle, Elpers, Gonzalez, Freeman, & Baggio, 2018). This hinders the interpretation of experimental findings and puts into question the validity of the ToM construct. The current study is the first psychometric assessment of the structure of ToM to date. Comparing ToM to crystallized intelligence (Gc) and fluid intelligence (Gf), the study aims to (a) understand whether ToM should be considered a monolithic ability and (b) explore whether tasks of ToM adequately assess ToM, above and beyond general cognitive ability. For this, confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and exploratory network analysis (NMA) were conducted. The results of the models largely point to the same conclusion: while ToM tasks are not merely assessing cognitive ability, they are not purely assessing a single ToM construct either. Importantly, these findings align with recent theoretical accounts proposing that ToM should not be considered a monolithic construct (Quesque & Rossetti, 2020; Schaafsma, Pfaff, Spunt, & Adolphs, 2015, Devaine, Hollard, & Daunizeau, 2014), and should instead be explored and measured as multiple domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Navarro
- Center for Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Tufts University, School of Engineering, 177 College Ave, Medford, MA 02155, United States.
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20
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Is cultural variation the norm? A closer look at sequencing of the theory of mind scale. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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21
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Gönültaş S, Mulvey KL. Theory of Mind as a Correlate of Bystanders' Reasoning About Intergroup Bullying of Syrian Refugee Youth. Front Psychol 2022; 13:815639. [PMID: 35432123 PMCID: PMC9005638 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.815639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The current study examined how ingroup and outgroup Theory of Mind (ToM) predicts children’s and adolescents’ reasoning for their acceptability judgments of intergroup bullying of Syrian refugee peers and group support of intergroup bullying. Participants included 587 Turkish middle (n = 372, Mage = 12.19, SD = 1.01; 208 girls) and high school (n = 215, Mage = 14.81, SD = 0.97; 142 girls) students. Participants read a bias-based bullying story with a Syrian refugee peer targeted by an ingroup Turkish peer. Then, participants rated the acceptability of bullying and group support of bullying and were presented with a reasoning question (Why?) after each acceptability question (bullying and group support of bullying). Reasoning codes included Fairness, Refugee Status/War, Prejudice and Discrimination, Harm, Prescriptive Norms, Group Functioning, and Relationship with the Bully. Participants’ ingroup and outgroup ToM abilities (measured using the Strange Stories) were evaluated as predictors of reasoning. Results documented that middle school students were more likely to attribute mental states to their ingroup members compared to outgroup members while high school students’ ToM performance did not differ across contexts. Further, the more unacceptable participants judged bullying to be, the more they reasoned about the bullying by referencing fairness, refugee status, discrimination, and harm. Results also documented that ingroup and outgroup ToM were positively related to attribution to fairness and participants’ usage of multiple reasoning judgments while only outgroup ToM was a significant predictor of reasoning around refugee status/war, discrimination, and prejudice. The findings provide implications for intervention programs that tackle intergroup bullying by examining bystanders’ social cognitive skills in a specific context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seçil Gönültaş
- Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Kelly Lynn Mulvey
- Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
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22
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Nah YH, Chen M. Development and Psychometric Properties of a Culturally Adapted Video Version of Strange Stories as a Measure of Advanced Theory of Mind in Youths. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/07342829221075981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study described the development of a culturally adapted video version of Strange Stories test as a measure of advanced theory of mind for youths in an Asian country (i.e. Singapore), the Y-ToM, and to provide preliminary psychometric properties. Participants were 170 youths (82 male, 88 female) aged from 13 to 16 years old (M = 14.77, SD = 1.16) in Singapore. The youths completed the Y-ToM, an abbreviated IQ test and the Happé’s Strange Stories in a counterbalanced order while their parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). A two-factor structure consisting of social and physical subscales was suggested. Concurrent, convergent, divergent and diagnostic validity of the Y-ToM was examined. Internal consistency of the Y-ToM social subscale was acceptable though it was not satisfactory for the Y-ToM physical subscale. Inter-rater reliability was good while test-retest reliability was lower.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Hwee Nah
- National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Mo Chen
- National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
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Białecka-Pikul M, Stępień-Nycz M, Szpak M, Grygiel P, Bosacki S, Devine RT, Hughes C. Theory of Mind and Peer Attachment in Adolescence. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2021; 31:1202-1217. [PMID: 34309104 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of research on theory of mind (ToM) highlights its significance for childhood social outcomes. Extending the developmental scope of this work, the current study investigated links between advanced ToM abilities and peer attachment in adolescence. Polish adolescents (16 to 18 years old; N = 302; 57.6% girls) completed two advanced ToM measures and reported on their peer attachment. With the effects of age and language controlled, girls scored higher than boys for both advanced ToM and peer attachment. However, the association between these measures was only significant in boys. These results are discussed in terms of theory and research on gender-specific approaches to social cognitive development in adolescence.
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Measuring advanced theory of mind: Do story-based tasks work? J Adolesc 2021; 93:28-39. [PMID: 34653852 DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although much is known about theory of mind (ToM) development during childhood, data on how these skills develop in adolescence is scarce. This cavity is due in part to the limited knowledge about measures of advanced theory of mind. METHODS The study examined the relation among six common story-based tasks designed to measure advanced ToM in two age groups of Polish adolescents: early (13-year-olds; 78 girls) and late (16-year-olds; 143 girls) adolescents. RESULTS Factor models for individual tasks were constructed, followed by an examination of the underlying structure that explained the variability of factor scores. Only in half of the tasks, the results revealed an age-related increase in advanced ToM. Contrary to expectation, results showed a lack of correlations among story-based advanced ToM tasks in the two adolescent groups. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest a lack of coherence among advanced story-based ToM tasks and the need for further development of reliable and valid advanced ToM measures which are sensitive enough to show increasingly complex social reasoning abilities in adolescence.
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Lecce S, Devine RT. Theory of mind at school: Academic outcomes and the influence of the school context. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Serena Lecce
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences University of Pavia Pavia Italy
| | - Rory T. Devine
- School of Psychology University of Birmingham Birmingham UK
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26
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Kinematics and observer-animator kinematic similarity predict mental state attribution from Heider-Simmel style animations. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18266. [PMID: 34521902 PMCID: PMC8440512 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97660-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to ascribe mental states, such as beliefs or desires to oneself and other individuals forms an integral part of everyday social interaction. Animations tasks, in which observers watch videos of interacting triangles, have been extensively used to test mental state attribution in a variety of clinical populations. Compared to control participants, individuals with clinical conditions such as autism typically offer less appropriate mental state descriptions of such videos. Recent research suggests that stimulus kinematics and movement similarity (between the video and the observer) may contribute to mental state attribution difficulties. Here we present a novel adaptation of the animations task, suitable to track and compare animation generator and -observer kinematics. Using this task and a population-derived stimulus database, we confirmed the hypotheses that an animation’s jerk and jerk similarity between observer and animator significantly contribute to the correct identification of an animation. By employing random forest analysis to explore other stimulus characteristics, we reveal that other indices of movement similarity, including acceleration- and rotation-based similarity, also predict performance. Our results highlight the importance of movement similarity between observer and animator and raise new questions about reasons why some clinical populations exhibit difficulties with this task.
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Wang S, Andrews G, Pendergast D, Neumann D, Chen Y, Shum DHK. A Cross-Cultural Study of Theory of Mind Using Strange Stories in School-Aged Children from Australia and Mainland China. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2021.1974445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Si Wang
- Griffith University, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Yulu Chen
- Beijing Union University Teachers’ College, China
| | - David H. K. Shum
- Griffith University, Australia
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
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28
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Wu Y, Liu X, Zhang S, Zhong R. Parental Rearing Patterns and Interpersonal Skills in Deaf Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Theory of Mind. Front Psychol 2021; 12:709038. [PMID: 34489812 PMCID: PMC8417808 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.709038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
This study examined the associations between parental rearing patterns and interpersonal skills via the mediation of Theory of Mind (ToM) in a sample of 369 deaf Chinese college students. The results showed that negative parental rearing patterns were directly and negatively associated with interpersonal skills, and positive parental rearing patterns were directly and positively associated with interpersonal skills. There were also indirectly associated with interpersonal skills via ToM. We also considered whether the mediation of ToM was different for male participants and female participants. The indirect associations between parental rearing patterns and interpersonal skills via ToM existed for female participants, but not for male participants. These results indicated that deaf college students’ perceived parental rearing patterns are associated with their interpersonal skills, and parents of deaf children should incorporate ToM in their everyday rearing patterns to improve their children’s interpersonal skills, especially for girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wu
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiping Liu
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shengnan Zhang
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | - Rubo Zhong
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
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29
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Lecce S, Ronchi L, Devine RT. Mind what teacher says: Teachers’ propensity for mental‐state language and children's theory of mind in middle childhood. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Serena Lecce
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Science University of Pavia Pavia Italy
| | - Luca Ronchi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Science University of Pavia Pavia Italy
| | - Rory T. Devine
- School of Psychology University of Birmingham Birmingham UK
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Devine RT, Apperly IA. Willing and able? Theory of mind, social motivation, and social competence in middle childhood and early adolescence. Dev Sci 2021; 25:e13137. [PMID: 34235829 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the links between theory of mind, social motivation, and children's social competence in middle childhood and early adolescence. Two hundred and sixty four children (136 girls, 128 boys) aged between 8 and 13 years (M Age = 10.88 years, SD = 1.45) completed theory-of-mind tests and self-report questionnaires measuring social motivation. Teachers rated children's social competence at school. Teacher-rated social competence was associated with individual differences in both theory of mind and children's motivation to develop and maintain social relationships. Results suggest that while individual differences in social motivation and theory of mind are partially overlapping, both theory of mind ability and social motivation contribute to successful social interaction at school.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory T Devine
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Ian A Apperly
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
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31
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Osterhaus C, Koerber S. The Development of Advanced Theory of Mind in Middle Childhood: A Longitudinal Study From Age 5 to 10 Years. Child Dev 2021; 92:1872-1888. [PMID: 34223634 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
This 5-year longitudinal study investigated advanced theory-of-mind (AToM) development in 161 German 5- to 10-year-olds (89 females, 72 males). Core aspects of AToM developed nonlinearly, with children reaching a milestone at the age of 7 years, around when they attained the conceptual insight that mental states can be recursive. In late elementary school, a multicomponent battery was used. Performance on many aspects of AToM was predicted by information-processing skills (intelligence and language at 6 years), but not by the age when children acquired the basic conceptual insight; only some naturalistic, social-interpretative tasks were correlated with children's age at acquisition. This study documents significant developmental progressions in middle-childhood AToM and suggests that different mechanisms may underlie diverse aspects of social cognition.
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32
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Wilson AC. Do animated triangles reveal a marked difficulty among autistic people with reading minds? AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 25:1175-1186. [PMID: 33618541 PMCID: PMC8264645 DOI: 10.1177/1362361321989152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Autistic people are thought to have difficulty with mentalising (our drive to track and understand the minds of other people). Mentalising is often measured by the Frith-Happé Animations task, where individuals need to interpret the interactions of abstract shapes. This review article collated results from over 3000 people to assess how autistic people performed on the task. Analysis showed that autistic people tended to underperform compared to non-autistic people on the task, although the scale of the difference was moderate rather than large. Also, autistic people showed some difficulty with the non-mentalising as well as mentalising aspects of the task. These results raise questions about the scale and specificity of mentalising difficulties in autism. It also remains unclear how well mentalising difficulties account for the social challenges diagnostic of autism.
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Bray KO, Anderson V, Pantelis C, Pozzi E, Schwartz OS, Vijayakumar N, Richmond S, Deane C, Allen NB, Whittle S. Associations between cognitive and affective empathy and internalizing symptoms in late childhood. J Affect Disord 2021; 290:245-253. [PMID: 34010749 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.04.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Empathy is a multidimensional construct, which includes cognitive and affective components. Studies in adults have demonstrated that both cognitive and affective empathy are associated with anxious and depressive symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine these associations in childhood. METHODS Participants were 127 9- and 10-year-old children, recruited from the community. Self-report measures of cognitive and affective empathy, and internalizing symptoms were administered, as well as a task-based measure of cognitive empathy. RESULTS Canonical correlation analysis demonstrated that components of affective empathy, specifically affective sharing and empathic distress, were associated with internalizing (particularly social anxiety) symptoms (Rc = 0.63, non-parametric p < .001). Cognitive empathy was not associated with internalizing symptoms. LIMITATIONS Most of our findings were based around self-report measures of empathy, which may not accurately reflect empathy ability. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggests that children who share each other's emotions strongly are more likely to experience anxiety, particularly of a social nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine O Bray
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre (MNC), Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia; Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Vicki Anderson
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christos Pantelis
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre (MNC), Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elena Pozzi
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre (MNC), Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia; Orygen, Melbourne Australia, Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Orli S Schwartz
- Orygen, Melbourne Australia, Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Sally Richmond
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Camille Deane
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Sarah Whittle
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre (MNC), Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia
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Theory of mind, mental state talk, and discourse comprehension: Theory of mind process is more important for narrative comprehension than for informational text comprehension. J Exp Child Psychol 2021; 209:105181. [PMID: 34049060 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the relations among theory of mind (ToM), mental state talk, and discourse comprehension. Specifically, we examined the frequency of mental state talk in children's oral recall of narrative texts and informational texts as well as relations among ToM, mental state talk (inclusion of mental state words in the recall of narrative and informational texts), and narrative and informational text comprehension. Results from children in Grade 4 (N = 132; Mage = 10.39 years) revealed that a greater number of mental state talk instances appeared in children's recall of narrative texts than in their recall of informational texts, but the mean number also differed across texts within a genre. ToM skill predicted the extent of mental state talk in narrative texts and informational texts, and the relation was stronger for narrative texts than for informational texts, after accounting for vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, working memory, and attentional control. Mental state talk in narrative texts was extremely strongly related to narrative comprehension, whereas mental state talk in informational texts was weakly related to informational text comprehension. Results suggest that ToM skill relates to mental state talk in the recall of texts, and both ToM and mental state talk play greater roles in comprehension of narrative texts than in comprehension of informational texts.
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Gönültaş S, Mulvey KL. Bystander responses to bias-based bullying and retaliation: Is retaliation perceived as more acceptable than bias-based bullying? BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 39:442-461. [PMID: 33629758 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The current study examined intergroup-related and social-cognitive correlates of bystanders' acceptability judgements and their responses to bias-based bullying of immigrant peers and to possible retaliation for the bullying. Participants included 179 immigrant-origin and non-immigrant-origin youth (Mage = 13.23; SD = 1.55; 79 immigrant-origin youth). Participants' bystander judgements and responses to bullying and retaliation were examined via a hypothetical scenario. Further, participants' intergroup attitudes towards immigrants and their social-cognitive skills were evaluated. ANOVA results showed that immigrant-origin youth judged bullying as less acceptable and retaliation as more acceptable compared to non-immigrant-origin youth, documenting that group membership is related to adolescents' judgements. A similar pattern was observed in active bystander responses. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that immigration background, intergroup process in the context of immigration, and social-cognitive skills predict bystander responses to bullying and retaliation. This study provides important implications for anti-bullying intervention programmes to overcome the negative consequences of retaliation in the escalation of aggressive behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seçil Gönültaş
- North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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36
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Ghrear S, Baimel A, Haddock T, Birch SAJ. Are the classic false belief tasks cursed? Young children are just as likely as older children to pass a false belief task when they are not required to overcome the curse of knowledge. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244141. [PMID: 33606742 PMCID: PMC7894954 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The question of when children understand that others have minds that can represent or misrepresent reality (i.e., possess a 'Theory of Mind') is hotly debated. This understanding plays a fundamental role in social interaction (e.g., interpreting human behavior, communicating, empathizing). Most research on this topic has relied on false belief tasks such as the 'Sally-Anne Task', because researchers have argued that it is the strongest litmus test examining one's understanding that the mind can misrepresent reality. Unfortunately, in addition to a variety of other cognitive demands this widely used measure also unnecessarily involves overcoming a bias that is especially pronounced in young children-the 'curse of knowledge' (the tendency to be biased by one's knowledge when considering less-informed perspectives). Three- to 6-year-old's (n = 230) false belief reasoning was examined across tasks that either did, or did not, require overcoming the curse of knowledge, revealing that when the curse of knowledge was removed three-year-olds were significantly better at inferring false beliefs, and as accurate as five- and six-year-olds. These findings reveal that the classic task is not specifically measuring false belief understanding. Instead, previously observed developmental changes in children's performance could be attributed to the ability to overcome the curse of knowledge. Similarly, previously observed relationships between individual differences in false belief reasoning and a variety of social outcomes could instead be the result of individual differences in the ability to overcome the curse of knowledge, highlighting the need to re-evaluate how best to interpret large bodies of research on false belief reasoning and social-emotional functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siba Ghrear
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Adam Baimel
- Department of Psychology, Health and Professional Development, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Taeh Haddock
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Susan A. J. Birch
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Lecce S, Bianco F, Hughes C. Reading minds and reading texts: Evidence for independent and specific associations. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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38
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CERRAH ÖZSEVGEÇ L, KONTAŞ AZAKLI T. Investigation of the relationship between the theory of mind and creative thinking skills of children in rural area. ESTUDOS DE PSICOLOGIA (CAMPINAS) 2021. [DOI: 10.1590/1982-0275202138e190155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract The aim of this study, accordingly, is to determine the relation between creativity and theory of mind skills of children aged 5-11 (Ns:117) who continue Primary Education in rural areas and to reveal the relation between the sub-dimensions of these abilities. At the end of the study, it was found that there was a significant and positive relation between the total creativity score and the sub-dimensions of theory of mind. It was found that there was a significant and positive relation between all sub-dimensions of creativity and theory of mind. The total creativity score and the scores of the sub-dimensions of creativity (fluency, originality, and elaboration) were significant but weak predictors of theory of mind tasks.
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Gönültaş S, Mulvey KL. The Role of Immigration Background, Intergroup Processes, and Social-Cognitive Skills in Bystanders' Responses to Bias-Based Bullying Toward Immigrants During Adolescence. Child Dev 2020; 92:e296-e316. [PMID: 33350458 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This study examined how intergroup processes and social-cognitive factors shape bystander responses to bias-based and general bullying. Participants included sixth and ninth graders (N = 179, M = 13.23) who evaluated how likely they would be to intervene if they observed bullying of immigrant-origin and nonimmigrant-origin peers. Adolescents' grade, intergroup attitudes, and social-cognitive abilities were evaluated as predictors of bystander responses. Nonimmigrant-origin adolescents reported that they expect they would be less likely to intervene when the victim is an immigrant-origin peer. Furthermore, participants with more intergroup contact and higher theory of mind were more likely to expect they would intervene in response to bias-based bullying. Findings have important implications for understanding factors that inform antibullying interventions that aim to tackle bias-based bullying against immigrants.
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Lavigne R, González-Cuenca A, Romero-González M, Sánchez M. Theory of Mind in ADHD. A Proposal to Improve Working Memory through the Stimulation of the Theory of Mind. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17249286. [PMID: 33322517 PMCID: PMC7764628 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17249286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between Theory of Mind (ToM), Working Memory (WM), and Verbal Comprehension (VC). Performance of these variables was evaluated in 44 elementary students (6-12 years) diagnosed with ADHD. Their performance in all variables was collected through the Neuropsychological Battery (NEPSY-II) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV. The results showed that fifty percent of the participants were below the 25th percentile in ToM and that this low performance was not related to age. In addition, analyses showed statistically significant relationships between WM, VC, and ToM. Analysis of the effect of WM and VC on ToM showed that only WM explained the variance in participant performance in ToM. These results led us to raise the need to include ToM among the skills to be stimulated in programs for the treatment of ADHD, accompanying other skills related to social adaptation that are usually included in such programs. Likewise, considering that ToM implies putting into practice skills such as considering different points of view, attending to relevant aspects of the context, making decisions, inferring mental states, and predicting behaviors, we believe that through the stimulation of ToM, WM would also be stimulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Lavigne
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain;
| | - Antonia González-Cuenca
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain;
| | - Marta Romero-González
- Neuropsipe, Child and Adolescent Neuroscience Center, 29010 Malaga, Spain; (M.R.-G.); (M.S.)
| | - Marta Sánchez
- Neuropsipe, Child and Adolescent Neuroscience Center, 29010 Malaga, Spain; (M.R.-G.); (M.S.)
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Hull L, Petrides KV, Mandy W. Cognitive Predictors of Self-Reported Camouflaging in Autistic Adolescents. Autism Res 2020; 14:523-532. [PMID: 33047869 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Camouflaging involves masking and/or compensating for autistic characteristics and has been identified in autistic individuals through a variety of different methods. Individual variation in the extent, processes and outcomes of camouflaging has been reported in autistic adults, and there has been some investigation of camouflaging by autistic adolescents. This study was conducted to better understand how some of these individual differences emerge, by examining potential mechanisms (theory of mind, executive function, intelligence quotient and age) involved in camouflaging by 58 autistic adolescents aged 13-18 years (29 females, 29 males). Fewer executive function difficulties predicted greater use of total camouflaging strategies and the compensation subscale, but not the masking or assimilation subscales; no other predictors reached statistical significance. These findings suggest that individual differences in executive function ability may underlie variation in the use of camouflaging by adolescents. The total variance explained in the model was small, suggesting the need to examine other factors which may underpin camouflaging. The implications of this finding for the relationship between camouflaging and well-being are discussed, along with the distinction between attempts to camouflage and the efficacy of those attempts. LAY SUMMARY: Camouflaging involves hiding your autism or finding ways around difficulties in order to fit in during social situations. This study found that autistic teenagers with good executive function abilities camouflage their autism more than those who struggle with executive function (which includes planning, goal-direction and memory). This may have implications for teenagers' mental health and their social functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Hull
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.,East London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - K V Petrides
- London Psychometric Laboratory, University College London, London, UK
| | - William Mandy
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
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Del Sette P, Bambini V, Bischetti L, Lecce S. Longitudinal associations between theory of mind and metaphor understanding during middle childhood. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2020.100958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Ronchi L, Banerjee R, Lecce S. Theory of mind and peer relationships: The role of social anxiety. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luca Ronchi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences University of Pavia Pavia Italy
| | | | - Serena Lecce
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences University of Pavia Pavia Italy
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Beißert H, Gönültaş S, Mulvey KL. Social Inclusion of Refugee and Native Peers Among Adolescents: It is the Language that Matters! JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2020; 30:219-233. [PMID: 31206919 PMCID: PMC7065049 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the role of refugee status and language skills for adolescents' inclusion or exclusion decisions in hypothetical intergroup scenarios. 100 German adolescents (Mage = 13.65 years, SD = 1.93) were presented three scenarios in which groups of adolescents are planning leisure time activities, and peers from their own country (Germany) versus another country (Syrian refugees) with either good or bad German skills want to join them. Whereas adolescents' inclusion decisions did not differ between the German protagonist and the Syrian one with good German skills, the Syrian protagonist with bad German skills was less likely to be included than either of the other two. These findings have implications for understanding the role of language in adolescents' inclusion decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Beißert
- Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education
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Florit E, De Carli P, Giunti G, Mason L. Advanced theory of mind uniquely contributes to children's multiple-text comprehension. J Exp Child Psychol 2019; 189:104708. [PMID: 31634737 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2019.104708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the contribution of advanced theory of mind (AToM), operationalized as second- or higher-order recursive mentalistic reasoning, to multiple-text comprehension in fourth and fifth graders (N = 184). The role of AToM was analyzed by taking into account children's individual characteristics (i.e., age, gender, prior topic knowledge, word reading fluency, vocabulary knowledge, and single-text comprehension) and task features (i.e., contrast between positions on the topic of two sets of texts). Mixed models analysis revealed that AToM uniquely contributed to comprehension of multiple texts over and above the individual and task variables. In addition, the contribution of AToM to the comprehension of multiple texts did not significantly differ for the two tasks despite differences in contrast between positions on the topic. Results indicate that children's ability to consider different perspectives and mental states is a relevant unique predictor of multiple-text comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Florit
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy.
| | - Pietro De Carli
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Giuditta Giunti
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Lucia Mason
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy
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Warnell KR, Redcay E. Minimal coherence among varied theory of mind measures in childhood and adulthood. Cognition 2019; 191:103997. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2019.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Tsoi L, McAuliffe K. Individual Differences in Theory of Mind Predict Inequity Aversion in Children. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2019; 46:559-571. [PMID: 31449439 DOI: 10.1177/0146167219867957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Early in human development, children react negatively to receiving less than others, and only later do they show a similar aversion to receiving more. We tested whether theory of mind (ToM) can account for this developmental shift we see in middle childhood. We conducted a face-to-face fairness task that involved a ToM manipulation, measured individual differences in ToM, and collected parent-ratings of children's empathy, a construct related to ToM. We find that greater ToM capacities lead to more rejections of unequal offers, regardless of the direction of inequality, demonstrating that children with greater ToM are more likely to engage in costly compliance with fairness norms. Moreover, drawing attention to mental states sufficiently elicits aversion to advantageous inequity in younger children. These findings contribute to our growing understanding that people's concerns for fairness rely not just on their own thoughts and beliefs but on the thoughts, beliefs, and expectations of others.
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Altunbas FD, Onen Unsalver B, Yasar AB. Aspects of cognitive performance relating to Theory of Mind (ToM) among people diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2019; 15:2015-2025. [PMID: 31410006 PMCID: PMC6645599 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s214595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study investigated Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities as measured by a hinting task and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) in individuals diagnosed with post-traumatic strees disorder (PTSD) in relation to different types of childhood trauma and compared to a healthy control group. METHOD RMET, a Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), a Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), a hinting task, and a socio-demographic questionnaire were administered to PTSD (n=30) patients and healthy controls (n=30). RESULTS There was a significant difference in ToM performance between healthy participants and the PTSD group (p<0.001). A significant correlation was found between trauma types and ToM performance (p<0.01). The diagnosis of PTSD and the severity of PTSD symptoms showed significant correlations with ToM performance (p<0.01). In comparison with the healthy control group, the PTSD group demonstrated lower performance on both ToM tasks. Regardless of the PTSD diagnosis, those people who had a history of childhood trauma had slowed reaction times in response to photographs representing emotionally salient mental states and demonstrated difficulties in the identification of irony/hints in the context of the administered assessment task. CONCLUSION The findings of the present study suggest that a diagnosis of PTSD and a history of different types of trauma have an effect on ToM performance. PTSD seems to lead to deterioration in ToM capacities. This may mean that the experience of childhood adversity may lead to long-lasting damage to social cognition. The current study is helpful in that it contributes to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of PTSD; moreover, it will be beneficial in the development of new treatment options. Our research findings suggest that we must concentrate not only on traumatic events during the treatment process of PTSD follow-up and treatment; we must also target deficiencies in cognitive and emotional capabilities.
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Isernia S, Baglio F, d’Arma A, Groppo E, Marchetti A, Massaro D. Social Mind and Long-Lasting Disease: Focus on Affective and Cognitive Theory of Mind in Multiple Sclerosis. Front Psychol 2019; 10:218. [PMID: 30792684 PMCID: PMC6374311 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of social cognition, including theory of mind (ToM), in affecting quality of life (QoL) along the course of diseases has been reported. This is a considerable aspect in chronic pathologies, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), in which supporting and maintaining QoL is of crucial importance. We aimed to investigate the relation between ToM, clinical variables and neuropsychological profile in a cohort of adults with long lasting disease, such as different clinical MS phenotypes (Relapsing Remitting -RR- versus Progressive -Pr). In particular, our study focuses on (1) how (affective and cognitive) ToM impairment occurs in different phenotypes, (2) whether MS ToM impairment is secondary to or independent from cognitive deficit and (3) whether ToM deficit impacts QoL. 42 adults with MS (18 M: 24 F, 52.38 ± 10.31 mean age, 21.24 ± 10.94 mean disease duration, 26 RR and 16 Pr) and 26 matched healthy controls (HC) (7 M: 19 F, 51.35 ± 12.42 mean age) were screened with a neuropsychological and ToM battery, assessing both affective and cognitive components. We found statistically significant groups differences in cognitive but not affective ToM, with a lower performance in PrMS than those with a RRMS disease course. Also, significant predictive effects of neuropsychological tests on ToM were identified in MS group. Finally, MS people with different level of affective ToM differed significantly in QoL. ToM deficit in moderately disabled people with MS involves cognitive but not affective ToM components with implications on QoL. It also appears to be related to cognitive performance. As neurological and neurocognitive profiles influence mentalizing in MS, ToM evaluation should be considered for inclusion in clinical screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Isernia
- Theory of Mind Unit, Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
- Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alessia d’Arma
- Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus (IRCCS), Milan, Italy
| | | | - Antonella Marchetti
- Theory of Mind Unit, Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Massaro
- Theory of Mind Unit, Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
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