Theory of Mind Training in Children with Autism: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) participate in social skills or Theory of Mind (ToM) treatments. However, few studies have shown evidence for their effectiveness. The current study used a randomized controlled design to test the effectiveness of a 16-week ToM treatment in 8–13 year old children with ASD and normal IQs (n = 40). The results showed that, compared to controls, the treated children with ASD improved in their conceptual ToM skills, but their elementary understanding, self reported empathic skills or parent reported social behaviour did not improve. Despite the effects on conceptual understanding, the current study does not indicate strong evidence for the effectiveness of a ToM treatment on the daily life mindreading skills

Does Theory of Mind Training Enhance Empathy in Autism?

Youth with ASD often show limited or atypical empathic responsiveness. The direct effects of social skills interventions on enhancing empathic responsiveness is unknown. Data from a randomized controlled trial were used to investigate whether a Theory of Mind training improves the empathic responsiveness, measured through structured observations. The current study included a large sample (n = 135) of 8–13-year-old children with ASD. When comparing the change scores of empathic responsiveness from baseline to post-test, the intervention group performed significantly better than the waitlist group. Thus, the current findings support the use of Theory of Mind training as intervention of ASD by showing its efficacy also in improving one’s empathic responsiveness, in addition to previous knowledge regarding the improvements in empathic understanding

Moderating Effects of Parental Characteristics on the Effectiveness of a Theory of Mind Training for Children with Autism:A Randomized Controlled Trial

This RCT investigated whether the effect of a Theory of Mind (ToM) intervention for children with ASD was moderated by parental education level and employment, family structure, and parental ASD. Children with autism aged 8-13 years (n = 136) were randomized over a waitlist control or treatment condition. At posttest, children in the treatment condition had more ToM knowledge, showed fewer autistic features, and more ToM-related behavior than children in the control condition. Children who had one or two parents with at least a college degree, and children with parents not diagnosed with/suspected of having ASD themselves benefitted from the training. These findings provide valuable information about family variables that need to be taken into account in treatment design and implementatio

Individual differences in the efficacy of a short theory of mind intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Having a ‘theory of mind’, or having the ability to attribute mental states to oneself or others, is considered one of the most central domains of impairment among children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many interventions focus on improving theory of mind skills in children with ASD. Nonetheless, the empirical evidence for the effect of these interventions is limited. The main goal of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a short theory of mind intervention for children with ASD. A second objective is to determine which subgroups within the autism spectrum profit most from the intervention. Methods This study is a randomized controlled trial. One hundred children with ASD, aged 7 to 12 years will be randomly assigned to an intervention or a waiting list control group. Outcome measures include the completion of theory of mind and emotion understanding tasks, and parent and teacher questionnaires on children’s social skills. Follow-up data for the intervention group will be collected 6 months after the interventions. Discussion This study evaluates the efficacy of a theory of mind intervention for children with ASD. Hypotheses, strengths, and limitations of the study are discussed. Trial registration Netherlands Trial Register NTR2327</p

De Theory of Mind training voor kinderen met autisme:een gerandomiseerde gecontroleerde trial

Er bestaan verschillende interventies om het inlevingsvermogen, ook wel theory of mind (ToM) vaardigheden genoemd bij kinderen met autismespectrumstoornis (ASS) te verbeteren. In het hier besproken onderzoek zijn kinderen met ASS (7–12 jaar oud; n = 140) willekeurig toegewezen aan een wachtlijstcontrole of een ToM-training. In de ToM-training werden gedurende acht weken groepslessen aangeboden, waarin de kinderen vaardigheden leerden, zoals emotieherkenning, verbeelding, begrip van misleiding en humor. Uitkomst maten na acht weken waren ToM- en emotiebegriptaken, en ouder- en leerkrachtvragenlijsten over sociaal gedrag. Na drie maanden vond een follow-upmeting plaats in de trainingsgroep. De training bleek een positief effect te hebben op ToM-begrip, dat ook na drie maanden nog te zien was. Ook ouders rapporteerden verbeteringen op het gebied van sociale vaardigheden. Deze waren met name zichtbaar bij algemene en aan ASS gerelateerde vaardigheden, maar de verbetering in concrete ToM-gerelateerde vaardigheden was gering. Leerkrachten rapporteerden geen effect van de training op sociaal gedrag. De ToM-training verbetert met name het inzicht van kinderen, maar effecten zijn ook zichtbaar in alledaags gedrag. In dit artikel wordt een overzicht gegeven van de bevindingen bij de afsluiting van de trial en wordt een nieuwe, blended versie van de ToM-training geïntroduceerd: de ToM‑e training

Sibling Configuration as a Moderator of the Effectiveness of a Theory of Mind Training in Children with Autism: a Randomized Controlled Trial

This RCT investigated whether participants' sibling configuration moderated the effect of a Theory of Mind (ToM) intervention for children with autism. Children with autism aged 8-13 years (n = 141) were randomized over a waitlist control or treatment condition. Both having more siblings, as well as having an older sibling were related to better outcomes on measures of ToM-related behavior and social cognition, but not ToM knowledge or autistic features in general. The finding that these associations were limited to practical skills addressed in the intervention, seems to indicate that having more siblings and having an older sibling provides enhanced opportunities for children with autism to practice taught skills in the home environment

Effects and Moderators of a Short Theory of Mind Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Limited perspective taking or &quot;Theory of Mind&quot; (ToM) abilities are a core deficit of autism, and many interventions are aimed to improve ToM abilities. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of a ToM treatment for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and, for the first time, the moderating roles of social interaction style (SIS) and disruptive behavior (DB), to determine which children are most likely to respond to this intervention. The trial protocol is registered at www.trialregister.nl, trial number 2327 and published before the data collection was finished (www.trialsjournal.com). Children with autism aged 7-12 years (n 5 97) were randomized over a waitlist control or a treatment condition. Outcome measures included ToM and emotion understanding, parent and teacher questionnaires on children&apos;s social skills, ToM-related social behavior, and autistic traits. Six-month follow-up parent reported data were collected for the treatment group. The treatment had a positive effect on ToM understanding, parent-reported ToM behavior, and autistic traits, but not on parent or teacher-reported social behavior. Passive SIS was associated with diminished treatment effects on autistic traits, but DB was unrelated to outcomes. The ToM intervention improved conceptual social understanding and ToM-related behavior of children with ASD. However, broader application of learned skills to other domains of functioning was limited. Individual differences with regard to treatment response are discussed. Autism Re