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Theory o f Mind

Join us for our regular monthly webinars on the first Thursday on most months at 8pm (Melbourne time).  Sign up at the bottom of the page for updates.

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In this webinar...

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In this webinar, Bobbi Cooks talks about Theory of Mind.

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What is Theory Mind

The ability to take another’s perspective or ‘put yourself in their shoes'.

Impaired theory of mind is a component of ASD, ADHD, and ODD. People with depression or anxiety often have impaired theory of mind. It is also seen in a range of chromosome disorders.

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Theory of mind is confusing because it sounds like it should be a psychological theory. It is not a theory.

 

Instead, it refers to the individual theories we have about what is happening in the minds of others.

For example:

  • What are they thinking?

  • What are they feeling?

  • What do they want?

  • Why are they doing that?

  • What do they believe?

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Theory of Mind is fully developed around 25 for males and 23 for female. If we have experience of mental illness, our theory of mind can regress.

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Impaired Theory Mind

  • Difficulty predicting the behaviour or emotional states of others

  • Concrete thinking

  • Assume others can mind read

  • Are unsure of what their next response will be

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Difficulties explaining own behaviour​

​A lack of ability to articulate the reasons for their own behaviour

  • Unable to ‘take responsibility’ for own behaviour

  • Blaming others

  • Lying

  • Crazy long explanations that don’t make sense or have any relevance

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Difficulty understanding emotions (their own and others)

  • Low interoceptive awareness
  • Sensory processing issues
  • Confusing and unpredictable
  • Disproportionate responses

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Difficulty predicting the behaviour or emotional states of others

  • Concrete thinking

  • Assume others can mind read

  • Are unsure of what their next response will be

  • You wouldn’t like it if someone did that to you you?

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Problems understanding the intention of others

  • Assume banter is bullying

  • Assume malicious intent

  • Observe peer playing and making incorrect assumptions

  • Observe adult conversations and make incorrect assumptions

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A lack of understanding that their behaviour impacts how others think and feel

  • Unable to imagine how someone else feels

  • Unable to understand why once they say sorry its not all over

  • Unable to understand that someone can be angry, not want to be with you and still love you

  • Often laugh with relief and leave you or another child in a puddle on the floor

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Problems with joint attentions and other social conventions

  • See no value in being interested in something other than their interests

  • Feels like they are lying if they pretend to be interested

  • DO not see any authority or hierarchy in relationships or roles

  • Don’t understand hidden curriculum

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Problems differentiating fiction from fact

  • Makes computer games unsafe for some

  • For girls, modelling of ‘home and away’ or managing an issue

  • Start with truth and move to story

  • Vulnerable to being used, manipulated and bullied

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So how does this play out at your house?

Ability to imagine what someone else might be feeling and moderating your behaviour in response

 

Ability to predict and interpret others behaviour

  • Unable to imagine how someone else feels

  • Unable to experience empathy

  • Assumption you don’t know how they feel until they make you experience it

  • Often laugh with relief and leave you or another child in a puddle on the floor

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What can we do?

Teach concepts of feelings and emotions

  • Deliberate and explicit

  • Speech therapy

  • Supported and structured social skill groups

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Teach awareness that others have their own state of mind

  • I’m noticing that...

  • I’m feeling...

  • I can see...

  • I’m wondering if…

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Teach awareness that others have their own state of mind

  • Model

  • Social Stories (see Carol Gray - great for primary school children)

  • YouTube

  • Speech Therapy

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Review different perspectives

  • I’m thinking that...

  • You are thinking that...

  • Your teacher is thinking that...

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Role play and rehearse

  • Some will, some won’t

  • Model

  • Discuss scenarios

  • Use car rides

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MAP

  • Mirror – what is the immediate need, validate feelings and experiences

  • Ask – a curious question to engage in problem solving

  • Prop up – words of encouragement, programs, tools and strategies

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Support abstract concepts with scripts and visual aids

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See the webinar slides for scripts for Mirror, Ask, and Prop up.

​Webinar Slides

Download the slides from the webinar.

Download PDF of Slides

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Audio Only

Listen to the audio recording of the webinar.

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Watch Webinar Replay

 

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