Theory of Mind Testing in Autistic and Typically Developing Children

Seminar paper from the year 2018 in the subject Medicine - Pediatrics, grade: 1, Egerton University, language: English, abstract: The theory of mind has emerged as a philosophical approach with an exceptional social importance. It explains social interactions amongst humans in daily engagements including maintaining emotional intimacy, influencing peers, and acquiring information. That level of significance explains why the theory has attracted extensive research attention over the past few decades. Ultimately, traditional research on the theory of mind has revealed the key underpinnings related to the paradigm. It has provided plausible reasons why the theory is essential in constructing mentalistic explanations for human behavior in typically developing individuals. From another perspective, the principle of the theory of mind appears to be of paramount significance for social functioning among clinical populations who experience challenges in social interaction. It is useful in explaining complex behaviors that are expressed by individuals with traumatic brain injury, autism spectrum disorders, and schizophrenia.

To examine the theory of mind, researchers have developed several methods, which are based on single task measurements using comprehensive instruments. However, theorists continue to give conflicting perspectives towards the aspects linked to the theory of mind such as evidence for earlier abilities, task manipulation of the onset of the theory of mind, and integrity of false-belief tasks. Therefore, this discussion seeks to provide a focused critical analysis of the research methods used to examine the theory of mind, as well as the findings of research in relation to the theory of mind in both typically developing children and those with autism.