Performance of children and adolescents with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism on advanced theory of mind tasks.

Kaland et al. (2008) gave three tough mind-reading tasks to kids with Asperger or high-functioning autism. They compared scores to same-age peers without autism. The tasks looked different: one used strange stories, one used voices, and one used faux pas stories.

The autism group scored lower on every task. Each task pulled out a different thinking style. Kids did not fail the same way twice. The authors warn that 'advanced ToM' is not one skill—it's a bundle.

Cohrs et al. (2017) later tested adults and teens with the same tasks. They also found lower scores and split the bundle into social-cognitive vs. social-perceptual parts. The pattern holds across ages.

Granader et al. (2014) looked at much younger able-IQ preschoolers with autism. They too saw lower ToM scores. The gap starts early and stays, so early screening matters.

Amorim et al. (2025) widened the lens to kids with ADHD and OCD. Diagnosis mattered less than IQ and social communication scores. This supports Nils: pick the task that matches the skill you care about, not just the label.

Stop treating all 'advanced ToM' tasks as equal. Before you write a goal, test the exact skill you want to teach—stories, voices, or social faux pas. Match the task to the real-life problem your client shows. That keeps assessment linked to intervention and saves you time.