While there is some evidence that ToM , or a precursor skill , can be taught to people with ASD , there is little evidence of maintenance of that skill , generalisation to other setting s , or developmental effects on related skills .
It is possible that the continuing refinement of the ToM model will lead to better interventions which have a greater impact on development than those investigated to date
BACKGROUND The ' Theory of Mind ' ( ToM ) model suggests that people with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) have a profound difficulty underst and ing the minds of other people - their emotions , feelings , beliefs , and thoughts .
As an explanation for some of the characteristic social and communication behaviours of people with ASD , this model has had a significant influence on research and practice .
It implies that successful interventions to teach ToM could , in turn , have far-reaching effects on behaviours and outcome .
OBJECTIVES To review the efficacy of interventions based on the ToM model for individuals with ASD .
Using computerized games to teach face recognition skills to children with autism spectrum disorder: the Let's Face It! program.
BACKGROUND An emerging body of evidence indicates that relative to typically developing children , children with autism are selectively impaired in their ability to recognize facial identity . A critical question is whether face recognition skills can be enhanced through a direct training intervention . METHODS In a r and omized clinical trial , children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were pre-screened with a battery of subtests ( the Let 's Face It ! Skills battery ) examining face and object processing abilities . Participants who were significantly impaired in their face processing abilities were assigned to either a treatment or a waitlist group . Children in the treatment group ( N = 42 ) received 20 hours of face training with the Let 's Face It ! ( LFI ! ) computer-based intervention . The LFI ! program is comprised of seven interactive computer games that target the specific face impairments associated with autism , including the recognition of identity across image changes in expression , viewpoint and features , analytic and holistic face processing strategies and attention to information in the eye region . Time 1 and Time 2 performance for the treatment and waitlist groups was assessed with the Let 's Face It ! Skills battery . RESULTS The main finding was that relative to the control group ( N = 37 ) , children in the face training group demonstrated reliable improvements in their analytic recognition of mouth features and holistic recognition of a face based on its eyes features . CONCLUSION These results indicate that a relatively short-term intervention program can produce measurable improvements in the face recognition skills of children with autism . As a treatment for face processing deficits , the Let 's Face It ! program has advantages of being cost-free , adaptable to the specific learning needs of the individual child and suitable for home and school applications
While there is some evidence that ToM , or a precursor skill , can be taught to people with ASD , there is little evidence of maintenance of that skill , generalisation to other setting s , or developmental effects on related skills .
It is possible that the continuing refinement of the ToM model will lead to better interventions which have a greater impact on development than those investigated to date
BACKGROUND The ' Theory of Mind ' ( ToM ) model suggests that people with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) have a profound difficulty underst and ing the minds of other people - their emotions , feelings , beliefs , and thoughts .
As an explanation for some of the characteristic social and communication behaviours of people with ASD , this model has had a significant influence on research and practice .
It implies that successful interventions to teach ToM could , in turn , have far-reaching effects on behaviours and outcome .
OBJECTIVES To review the efficacy of interventions based on the ToM model for individuals with ASD .