Abstract

Theory of Mind (ToM) is the capacity to make attributions of mental states such as thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of others. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder are often characterized by delayed or impaired Theory of Mind development and poor social skills. A positive correlation between Theory of Mind skills and social skills exists, but effective interventions that generalize these skills have proven to be a challenge in the field. Furthermore, few effective interventions exist to increase Theory of Mind skills in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. The Teaching Theory of Mind curriculum is a 12-week intervention aimed at increasing social understanding in children and adolescents with deficits in Theory of Mind. To date, there have not been any empirical studies to test the efficacy of the curriculum. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of the Teaching Theory of Mind curriculum on adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and explore the impact of the intervention when addressing various domains of social understanding. Results, though tentative, indicated that parents saw improved social understanding following intervention, though direct measures of Theory of Mind with adolescent participants did not change significantly.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.