Theory of Mind Predicts Social Interaction in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study

Hsiu-Man Chiu; Cheng-Te Chen; Ching-Hong Tsai; Hsing-Jung Li; Chin-Chin Wu; Chien-Yu Huang; Kuan-Lin Chen

doi:10.1007/s10803-022-05662-4

Theory of Mind Predicts Social Interaction in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study

J Autism Dev Disord. 2023 Sep;53(9):3659-3669. doi: 10.1007/s10803-022-05662-4. Epub 2022 Jul 13.

Authors

Hsiu-Man Chiu^{1

2}, Cheng-Te Chen³, Ching-Hong Tsai⁴, Hsing-Jung Li⁴, Chin-Chin Wu^{5

6}, Chien-Yu Huang^{7

8

9}, Kuan-Lin Chen^{10

11

12}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1 University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan R.O.C.
² Department of Occupational Therapy, Tai An Hospital, Shuang Shi Branch, Tai-chung, Taiwan R.O.C.
³ Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin-chu, Taiwan R.O.C.
⁴ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Municipal Kai-Syuan Psychiatric Hospital, Kao-hsiung, Taiwan R.O.C.
⁵ Department of Psychology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kao-hsiung, Taiwan R.O.C.
⁶ Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kao-hsiung, Taiwan R.O.C.
⁷ Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kao-hsiung, Taiwan R.O.C.
⁸ School of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C.
⁹ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C.
¹⁰ Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1 University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan R.O.C.. klchen@mail.ncku.edu.tw.
¹¹ Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan R.O.C.. klchen@mail.ncku.edu.tw.
¹² Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan R.O.C.. klchen@mail.ncku.edu.tw.

PMID: 35829943
DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05662-4

Abstract

This two-year follow-up study examined the predictive relationships of theory of mind (ToM) to social interaction by reciprocal social behaviors (RSBs) and social functioning (SF) in 106 children with ASD. The results of the path analysis showed that the earlier ToM predicted children's current component RSBs (B = 3.53, SE = 1.86, p = 0.039) and the current SF (B = 1.79-1.87, SE = 0.03-0.34, p < 0.001). The aloof and passive social interaction styles predicted fewer turn-taking of RSBs (B = - 48.77 to - 111.17, p < 0.001) and fewer components of RSBs (B = - 36.30 to - 81.41, p < 0.001). This finding provides empirical evidence that ToM predicts social interaction in children with ASD.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Follow-up studies; Reciprocal social behaviors; Social functioning; Theory of mind.

MeSH terms

Autism Spectrum Disorder*
Child
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Social Behavior
Social Interaction
Theory of Mind*

Abstract

MeSH terms

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