Theory of Mind Development and its Relation to Social Skills in Children and Adolescence with Visual Impairment

Subject Areas : روان درمانگری

Ali Mashhadi ¹ , Mahbobeh Hashemi Juzdani ² , Homeira Hashemi Borzabadi ³

1 - PhD Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
2 - MA in Psychology
3 - MA in Psychology

Received: 2015-06-03 Accepted : 2015-06-03 Published : 2011-03-21

Keywords: Theory of Mind, social skills, children and adolescence with visual impairment, behavioral problems,

Abstract :

This study investigated the theory of mind development and its relation to social skills in children and adolescence with Visual impairment. Study population consisted of all students with visual impairment in Mashhad city. Using purposeful sampling, 43 children in four age groups (4, 7, 10 and 13 years old) were selected. To measure the theory of mind, two Tasks of False Beliefs (Task of Belief Prediction, Perner, & Wimmer, 1987; Task of Action Prediction, Wimmer, & Perner, 1983) were used. To assess social skills and behavioral problems, Social Skills Scale (teacher form; Gresham, & Elliott, 1990) was used. Research data were analyzed using the Chi square test, Pearson correlation coeffcient and logistic regression analysis. Significant relationships were found between the performance of the Action Prediction Task and the overall scores of social skills, and between the performance of both tasks (the Action Prediction Task and the Belief Prediction Task) and the overall scores of behavioral problems. The results also showed that verbal IQ and age predicted the performance of the Action Prediction Task.