A Developmental Perspective for Promoting Theory of Mind
Abstract
Social neuroscience research has resulted in changing views of the theory of mind (ToM) construct. Theory of mind is no longer viewed as a unitary construct, but rather as a multidimensional construct comprising cognitive and affective ToM and interpersonal and intrapersonal ToM, each of which has differing neurophysiological/neuroanatomical foundations and behavioral manifestations. Clinicians working with persons with social communication/pragmatic communication disorders should consider evaluating these dimensions of ToM and the cognitive, social–emotional, and language components underlying them. Then they might use this information to develop a ToM profile for each client so they are better able to implement specific intervention strategies to target the linguistic and cognitive/affective foundations for ToM development. In this article, we describe the characteristics of developmental stages of affective and cognitive and interpersonal and intrapersonal ToM and how to match intervention goals and strategies to those stages. Some activities and strategies have empirical support; others are based on what is known about typical development and patterns of impairment.
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Both cognitive and social/emotional frameworks start developing at birth and continue to develop in measurable stages.
“Brain research described by Westby and Robinson (2014) found that both cognitive and social/emotional frameworks start developing at birth and continue to develop in measureable stages.”
From Differences of Mean Scores on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) for Classical Christian Schools Compared to Non-Classical Christian Schools (2019) · cites this paper as Westby and Robinson (2014)
Cites
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Self-referential processing in our brain—A meta-analysis of imaging studies on the self
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Vaughan, C. A. (2019) · Journal of Research on Christian Education · doi:10.1080/10656219.2019.1704326 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Westby, C., & Robinson, L.
- Affiliations
- Brigham Young University (US)
- Venue
- Topics in Language Disorders
- Published
- 2014-10
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 362-382
- ISSN
- 0271-8294 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2115670597
- Cited by
- 143
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 4
- FWCI
- 17.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Topics in Language Disorders (publishedVersion)
- ScholarsArchive (Brigham Young University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Language Development and Disorders
- Keywords
- theory of mind, affective theory of mind, cognitive theory of mind, social communication disorder, developmental stages, intervention strategies, social neuroscience
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