Training children’s theory-of-mind: A meta-analysis of controlled studies

Hofmann, S.; Doan, Stacey N.; Sprung, Manuel; Wilson, Anne E.; Ebesutani, Chad; Andrews, Leigh A.; Curtiss, Joshua; Harris, Paul L.

doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2016.01.006

Cited by 101 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 95 publications

(84 reference statements)

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“…There are for example facial emotion recognition trainings available (155) which may help remediate disgust recognition deficits in patients. Similarly, trainings exist with regard to ToM (156,157) and emotion regulation [e.g., (158)], and there is evidence that compassion training may help overcoming empathic personal distress (159). Whether such interventions may also effectively reduce symptomatology and daily life problems in social functioning in OCD remains to be investigated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Cognition and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Review of Subdomains of Social Functioning

2020

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Disturbances in social cognitive processes such as the ability to infer others' mental states importantly contribute to social and functional impairments in psychiatric disorders. Yet, despite established social, emotional, and cognitive problems, the role of social cognition in obsessive-compulsive disorder is largely overlooked. The current review provides a first comprehensive overview of social (neuro)cognitive disturbances in adult patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Results of our review indicate various social cognitive alterations. Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder show deficits in the recognition of affective social cues, specifically facial expressions of disgust, and more general deficits in theory of mind/mentalizing. Additionally, patients show heightened affective reactions and altered neural responding to emotions of self and others, as well as poor emotion regulation skills, which may contribute to poor social functioning of patients. However, the discrepancies in findings and scarcity of studies make it difficult to draw firm conclusions with regard to the specificity of social cognitive disturbances. The review offers directions for future research and highlights the need to investigate obsessive-compulsive disorder from an interactive social neurocognitive perspective in addition to the prevalent passive spectator perspective to advance our understanding of this intricate and burdensome disorder.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Cognition and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Review of Subdomains of Social Functioning

2020

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“…If ADHD symptomatology is held responsible for social deficits, it would make sense to use dialectical-behavioral treatment approaches. If social difficulties are based on empathy or ToM impairments, specific training sessions could be used that promote change of perspective (Hofmann et al, 2016). Thus, the recurrence of conflict-laden situations by timely use of socially adequate strategies should be prevented (Philipsen et al, 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the recurrence of conflict-laden situations by timely use of socially adequate strategies should be prevented (Philipsen et al, 2010). If social difficulties are based on empathy or ToM impairments, specific training sessions could be used that promote change of perspective (Hofmann et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impaired empathy but no theory of mind deficits in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

et al. 2019

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Objective The cognitive capacity to change perspective is referred to as theory of mind (ToM). ToM deficits are detectable in a variety of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Since executive abilities are closely associated with ToM skills, we suspected that due to a common neuropsychological basis, ToM deficits exist in treatment‐naïve adults with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods Performance of treatment‐naïve adults with ADHD (N = 30) in tasks assessing executive functions (Trail Making Test, Stroop color–word test, and Test Battery for Attentional Performance), empathy skills (Cambridge Behaviour Scale), and ToM (Movie for Assessment of Social Cognition) was compared with that of a healthy control group (N = 30) matched according to basic demographic variables. Results Compared to healthy controls, treatment‐naïve adults with ADHD showed deficits in various executive functions and the ability to empathize (all p < .05). However, no performance differences were found with regard to ToM (all n.s.). Conclusions Since studies in juveniles with ADHD often show impaired ToM performance, it is conceivable that ToM deficits may become attenuated due to neuronal development in adolescence. Furthermore, our findings imply that ToM impairments, even when present in adult ADHD, appear to be independent of executive deficits and might be explained by comorbid disorders.

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“…There are now several training studies employing mental state talk to improve children's FBU (e.g., Tompkins, ) and EU (e.g., Ornaghi, Grazzani, Cherubin, Conte, & Piralli, ). There was a recent meta‐analysis of studies training FBU (Hoffman et al, ). Researchers did not examine the content or quality of mental state talk as moderators, but they did find that, overall, training groups had significantly greater ToM compared to controls.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relation between parents' mental state talk and children's social understanding: A meta‐analysis

et al. 2018

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Though there is empirical support for the relation between parents' mental state talk to children and children's social understanding, including false belief understanding (FBU) and emotion understanding (EU), effect sizes range widely. The current meta-analysis focused on the relation between parents' mental state talk and children's social understanding and moderators of this relation: parents' mental state talk content (e.g., cognitive vs. emotion talk), quality (e.g., appropriate vs. inappropriate), and context (e.g., book vs. reminiscing). Data from 22 studies examining FBU and 18 examining EU were examined. Participants included 2,298 children (<7 years). Analyses yielded a significant effect size for parents' mental state talk and children's FBU and EU. These relations were stronger under certain circumstances, particularly for children's FBU. For example, in terms of content, cognitive state talk was a stronger predictor of FBU and EU compared to talk about desires and emotions. For FBU, the strongest relations were present when parents' mental state talk was: (a) appropriate and explanatory compared to inappropriate and (b) in a book or selfreport context compared to reminiscing. The results of this study further refine the social constructivist view of social understanding and point to future avenues for research aimed at improving children's social understanding. K E Y W O R D S emotion, meta-analysis, parent-child communication, theory of mind 1 | I NTR OD U CTI ON Children's theory of mind (ToM)-the ability to understand one's own and others' mental states (e.g., desires, cognitions, and emotions) and how these mental states motivate behavior-is a critical social cognitive achievement. Over the past three decades research on this topic has resulted in a rich and extensive body of literature on the Social Development. 2018;27:223-246.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/sode

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Training children’s theory-of-mind: A meta-analysis of controlled studies

Cited by 101 publications

References 95 publications

Social Cognition and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Review of Subdomains of Social Functioning

Social Cognition and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Review of Subdomains of Social Functioning

Impaired empathy but no theory of mind deficits in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

The relation between parents' mental state talk and children's social understanding: A meta‐analysis

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