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Wright BC, Wright BAL. Language Can Obscure as Well as Facilitate Apparent-Theory of Mind Performance: Part 2-The Case of Dyslexia in Adulthood. Front Psychol 2021; 12:621457. [PMID: 34248734 PMCID: PMC8264364 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.621457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies imply causal links between linguistic competencies and Theory of Mind (ToM). But despite Dyslexia being a prime example of linguistic deficits, studies on whether it is related to ToM have been relatively unforthcoming. In the first of 2 studies (N = 89), independently-diagnosed dyslexic adults and non-dyslexic adults were presented with false-belief vignettes via computer, answering 4 types of question (Factual, Inference, 1st-order ToM & 2nd-order ToM). Dyslexia related to lower false-belief scores. Study 2 (N = 93) replicated this result with a non-computer-based variant on the false-belief task. We considered the possibility that the apparent-issue with ToM is caused by processing demands more associated to domains of cognition such as language, than to ToM itself. Addressing this possibility, study 2 additionally utilised the ToM30Q questionnaire, designed largely to circumvent issues related to language and memory. Principal-Components analysis extracted 4 factors, 2 capturing perceptual/representational ToM, and the other 2 capturing affective components related to ToM. The ToM30Q was validated via its associations to a published measure of empathy, replication of the female gender advantage over males, and for one factor from the ToM30Q there was a correlation with an existing published index of ToM. However, when we considered the performance of dyslexic and non-dyslexic participants using the ToM30Q, we found absolutely no difference between them. The contrasting findings from our 2 studies here, arguably offer the first experimental evidence with adults, that there is in fact no ToM deficit in dyslexia. Additionally, this finding raises the possibility that some other groups considered in some sense atypical, failed ToM tasks, not because they actually have a ToM deficit at all, but rather because they are asked to reveal their ToM competence through cognitive domains, such as language and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barlow C Wright
- School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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Liang YS, Yang HX, Zhang YJ, Cai XL, Wang YY, Ni K, Pu CC, Zhou SZ, Ma YT, Lui SSY, Wang Y, Yu X, Chan RCK. Validation of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in patients with schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Cogn Neuropsychiatry 2020; 25:466-479. [PMID: 33172340 DOI: 10.1080/13546805.2020.1846025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alteration of empathy is common in patients with psychiatric disorders. Reliable and valid assessment tools for measuring empathy of clinical samples is needed. The Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) is a newly-developed instrument to capture cognitive and affective components of empathy. This study aimed to validate the QCAE and compared self-reported empathy between clinical groups with varied psychiatric diagnoses and healthy sample. METHODS The present study performed factor analysis for the QCAE on clinical samples in the Chinese setting (n = 534), including patients with schizophrenia (n = 158), bipolar disorder (n = 213) and major depressive disorder (n = 163). Internal consistency, internal correlation and convergent validity was examined in the subsample (n = 361). Group comparison among patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and healthy controls (n = 107) was conducted to assess the discriminant validity. RESULTS Our results indicated acceptable factor model, good reliability and validity of the QCAE. Impaired cognitive empathy was found in clinical samples, especially in patients with schizophrenia, while higher affective empathy was found in patients with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. CONCLUSION The QCAE is a useful tool in assessing empathy in patients with varied psychiatric diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Si Liang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Han-Xue Yang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi-Jing Zhang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin-Lu Cai
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Yu Wang
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Ni
- Qiqihar Mental Health Center, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Cheng Pu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shu-Zhe Zhou
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Tao Ma
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Simon S Y Lui
- Department of Psychiatry, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China.,Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Wang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Yu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Raymond C K Chan
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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