Performance of children with autism spectrum disorder on advanced theory of mind tasks

Autism. 2004 Sep;8(3):283-99. doi: 10.1177/1362361304045217.

Abstract

Although a number of advanced theory of mind tasks have been developed, there is sparse information on whether performance on different tasks is associated. The study examined the performance of 20 high-functioning 6- to 12-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder and 20 controls on three high-level theory of mind tasks: Strange Stories, Cartoons and the children's version of the Eyes task. The pattern of findings suggests that the three tasks may share differing, non-specific, information-processing requirements in addition to tapping any putative mentalizing ability. They may also indicate a degree of dissociation between social-cognitive and social-perceptual or affective components of the mentalizing system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autistic Disorder*
  • Child
  • Cognition Disorders / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Language Disorders / diagnosis
  • Language Tests
  • Male
  • Mental Processes
  • Psychological Theory*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Social Perception*
  • Wechsler Scales