The Relationship between Theory of Mind and Intelligence: A Formative g Approach

Longitudinal relations between theory of mind and academic achievement among deaf and hard-of-hearing school-aged children

This 2-year longitudinal study investigated the bidirectional relations between the development of theory of mind (ToM) and academic competences in a sample of 270 deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children (Mage at Wave 1 = 7.52 years, SD = 0.99; 58.5% boys and 41.5% girls). Across three waves (10 months apart), children were assessed for their ToM abilities, using the ToM scale and a second-order false belief task, as well as for their language and mathematics skills. Cross-lagged correlational analysis revealed significant bidirectional associations between ToM and academic achievement (language and mathematics). That is, ToM predicted academic achievement with similar strength as ToM development itself was predicted by academic achievement. Our results highlight the bidirectional nature of the association between ToM and academic achievement, and they show that ToM development plays a crucial role in DHH children's school functioning.

Reflection of nurses' moral intelligence levels on care behaviors

PURPOSE

Moral intelligence is an important parameter that forms the basis and cornerstone of ethics in nursing. It is necessary to determine whether moral intelligence is reflected in the care that forms the basis of nursing. This study was carried out with the aim of determining the reflections of nurses' moral intelligence levels on their care behaviors.

FINDINGS

This study was descriptive and cross-sectional in nature. The study's sample size is 200 nurses. A personal Information Form, Moral Intelligence Scale, and Caring Behaviors Scale were used to collect data. It was determined that nurses' moral intelligence levels and caring behavior average scores were high. There was a highly significant positive connection (p = 0.001) between the mean scores of the moral intelligence total and subdimensions. And the mean scores of the caring behavior total and subdimensions.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

It is very important to determine the moral intelligence levels, which are acquired and developed ability and directly affect nursing care, and to take initiatives to improve the quality of the care provided.

What is theory of mind? A psychometric study of theory of mind and intelligence

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.

Neural processing associated with Cognitive Empathy in Pedophilia and Child Sexual Offending

Behavioral studies found evidence for superior cognitive empathy (CE) in pedophilic men without a history of child sexual offending (P-CSO) compared to pedophilic men with a history of CSO (P+CSO). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies also point to differences between P-CSO and P+CSO. Neural processing associated with CE has not yet been investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the neural correlates of CE in subjects with pedophilia with (P+CSO) and without (P-CSO) child sexual offending. 15 P+CSO, 15 P-CSO, and 24 teleiophilic male controls (TC) performed a CE task during fMRI. We observed reduced activation in the left precuneus (Pcu) and increased activation in the left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in P-CSO compared to P+CSO. P-CSO also showed stronger connectivity between these regions, which might reflect a top-down modulation of the Pcu by the ACC toward an increased self-focused emotional reaction in social situations. There was also evidence for increased right superior temporal gyrus activation in P-CSO that might constitute a potentially compensatory recruitment due to the dampened Pcu activation. These findings provide first evidence for altered neural processing of CE in P-CSO and underline the importance of addressing CE in pedophilia and CSO in order to uncover processes relevant to effective prevention of child sexual abuse.

Exploring Influences on Theory of Mind Impairment in Opioid Dependent Patients

Theory of mind (ToM) is an aspect of social cognition impaired in different addictive disorders, including opioid addiction. This study aimed at replicating ToM deficits in opioid dependent patients undergoing opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) and exploring the influence of substance use related variables, executive functions and childhood maltreatment on ToM in opioid dependent patients. 66 opioid dependent patients were tested using the Movie for Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC) and compared with the data of healthy controls. Furthermore, the opioid dependent patients underwent testing for executive functions and filled in the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Performance on the MASC was significantly poorer in the opioid dependence group than in the control group, even when recent additional drug use and psychiatric comorbidities were controlled for. No correlations were found between ToM and substance use related factors. Aspects of ToM performance in opioid dependent patients correlated significantly with different EF domains. ToM correlated significantly with the CTQ scales for physical maltreatment. The results confirm impaired ToM in opioid dependent patients and highlight executive functions and childhood maltreatment as influential factors. The lack of associations between ToM and substance use related variables and the association with childhood maltreatment suggest that ToM impairments might be a risk factor predating substance abuse.