Zrinščak, Iva and Šimleša, Sanja and Kuterovac Jagodić, Gordana.
(2014).
Individual and family factors of theory-of-mind understanding among preschool children.
Hrvatska revija za rehabilitacijska istraživanja, 50(2).
pp. 61-79.
ISSN 1331-3010
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine age- and gender-related changes in emotion recognition and the understanding of the theory of mind in preschool children, as well as the contribution of some individual and family variables to explaining individual differences in the understanding of the theory of mind. The study included 150 children (75 girls, 75 boys), aged from 48 to 68 months. Theory of mind was assessed using the Theory of Mind Scale, emotion recognition using the Emotion Recognition Scale, and cognitive status using the Matrix Reasoning Scale. ANOVA 3 (age) x 2 (gender) showed that the oldest children (62–68 months) were significantly more successful in understanding the theory of mind than the middle group (55–61 months) and the youngest age group (48–54 months), while gender differences were not found. The oldest group was also most successful in emotion recognition, and girls were more successful than boys. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to determine the contribution of the child’s individual factors (cognitive status and recognition of emotions) and family factors (parents’ educational level) to explaining the variation in the theory-of-mind test results. The following variables were found to be predictive: cognitive status, recognition of emotion, and education of parents. Children who scored higher on the nonverbal intelligence test and emotion recognition test, as well as children whose parents had higher educational level, showed a better understanding of the theory of mind.
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