Theory of mind in Williams syndrome assessed using a nonverbal task.
This study examined Theory of Mind in Williams syndrome (WS) and in normal chronological age-matched and mental age-matched control groups, using a picture sequencing task. This task assesses understanding of pretence, intention and false belief, while controlling for social-script knowledge and physical cause-and-effect reasoning. The task was selected because it is entirely non-verbal, so that the WS individuals could not rely on their good verbal skills when performing the task. Results indicated a specific deficit in understanding of false belief within the WS group. There was also evidence of heterogeneity in the WS group, with the false belief impairment restricted to only a particular subgroup of WS individuals identified originally by Porter, M., & Coltheart, M. (2005). Cognitive heterogeneity in Williams syndrome. Developmental Neuropsychology, 27(2), 275-306.
Porter
Melanie A
MA
Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia. mporter@maccs.mq.edu.au
Coltheart
Max
M
Langdon
Robyn
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009633:Nonverbal Communication; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018980:Williams Syndrome / Q000150:complications*