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 .
Systemizing empathy: teaching adults with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism to recognize complex emotions using interactive multimedia.
This study evaluated Mind Reading , an interactive systematic guide to emotions , for its effectiveness in teaching adults with Asperger syndrome ( AS ) and high-functioning autism ( HFA ) to recognize complex emotions in faces and voices . Experiment 1 tested a group of adults diagnosed with AS/HFA ( n = 19 ) who used the software at home for 10 - 15 weeks . Participants were tested on recognition of faces and voices at three different levels of generalization . A matched control group of adults with AS/HFA ( n = 22 ) were assessed without any intervention . In addition , a third group of general population controls ( n = 24 ) was tested . Experiment 2 repeated the design of Experiment 1 with a group of adults with AS/HFA who used the software at home and met in a group with a tutor on a weekly basis . They were matched to a control group of adults with AS/HFA attending social skills training and to a general population control group ( n = 13 for all three groups ) . In both experiments the intervention group improved significantly more than the control group on close , but not distant , generalization tasks . Verbal IQ had significant effects in Experiment 2 . Using Mind Reading for a relatively short period of time allows users to learn to recognize a variety of complex emotions and mental states . However , additional methods are required to enhance generalization
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 .