Theory of mind in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder compared to controls

Abstract

Introduction: Children with attention deficit hyperactivity diso rder (ADHD) have serious social skill deficits and problems in relation with peers. This study aimed to compare theory of mind (ToM) in drug-naive children with ADHD with those with no psychiatric disorders at the same age. Methods: This cross-sectional study was established in chil d and adolescent psychiatry clinic of the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (Tabri z, Iran). Drug naive, male children and adolescents with a diagnosis of ADHD were enrolled as well as age and intelligence quotient (IQ) matched healthy controls. Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia- Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4), and Conner's Parents Rating Scales-Revised (CPRS) were used to measure psychiatric disorders and Sally-Anne False Belief Task, and The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task (child) for components of ToM. Results: A total of 30 children completed the study in each group. Half of children with ADHD could not give the expected answer in Sally-Anne False Belief Task, which was significantly lower than controls. They also showed a significantly lower performance in The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task. Severity of ADHD was not correlated with a score of The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task. Conclusion: Children with ADHD have deficits in ToM compared with age and IQ matched controls in terms of social cognition and social se nsitivity . Article info