How could Theory of Mind contribute to the differentiation of social adjustment profiles of children with externalizing behavior disorders and children with intellectual disabilities?
Teaching emotion mind-reading skills can calm anger and boost peer play in preschoolers with externalizing behaviors and low IQ.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team looked at preschoolers with two profiles: externalizing behavior plus low IQ, and straight intellectual disability. They gave each child emotion and belief theory-of-mind tasks. Teachers also rated social adjustment and anger control.
The goal was to see if ToM skills predict better peer play and less anger in each group.
What they found
Kids with externalizing behavior and low IQ had the hardest time reading emotions and calming anger. For both atypical groups, stronger emotion ToM meant better classroom adaptation, but the path looked different for each.
How this fits with other research
Cappadocia et al. (2012) showed that perceived acceptance links ToM to social ease in kids with ID. Nader-Grosbois et al. (2013) keep the ID piece but add the angry, low-IQ group, showing emotion ToM still matters.
Carter Leno et al. (2021) seems to clash: they found ToM does not predict conduct problems once verbal IQ is held still. The gap is age and control. Nathalie studied preschoolers without full IQ control, while Virginia worked with teens and removed IQ variance. Both can be true: ToM gives a preschool boost, but IQ swallows the effect later.
Thirion-Marissiaux et al. (2008) mapped the normal ToM-emotion growth curve in ID. The new study extends that curve into real-world adjustment and shows it is especially useful for angry, low-IQ preschoolers.
Why it matters
If you serve preschoolers with behavior issues and low IQ, teach them to name and read feelings first. Quick emotion ToM games during play can cut anger and lift peer acceptance before they enter the IQ-heavy school years.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study compared Theory of Mind (ToM) emotion and belief abilities in 43 children with externalized behavior (EB) disorders presenting low intelligence, 40 children with intellectual disabilities (ID) and 33 typically developing (TD) preschoolers (as a control group), matched for developmental age. The links between their ToM abilities, their level in seven self-regulation strategies as displayed in social problem-solving tasks and their social adjustment profiles (assessed by the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation, completed by their teachers) were examined. Children with EB presented lower comprehension of causes of emotions and lower self-regulation of joint attention and of attention than children with ID and TD children. In comparison with TD children, lower social adjustment was observed in nearly all dimensions of profiles in both atypical groups. Specifically, children with EB were significantly angrier than children with ID. Although variable patterns of positive correlations were obtained in atypical groups between self-regulation strategies and ToM abilities, the most numerous positive links were obtained in the group with EB. Regression analyses showed that developmental age predicted ToM abilities and certain dimensions of social adjustment profiles in atypical groups. In the ID group, ToM emotions predicted general adaptation, affective adaptation, interactions with peers and with adults and low internalizing problems. In the EB group, general adaptation was predicted by ToM emotions and self-regulation, interactions with peers by ToM beliefs, and a low level of externalizing problems by ToM emotions. Some implications for intervention and perspectives for research are suggested.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2013 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2013.05.010