What Is Theory of Mind?

...And How Do You Teach an Autistic Child to Develop This Crucial Skill?

Most of us have a theory of mind in that we can guess what others are thinking and how that might differ from what we are thinking. [However, many] with autism can be thought of as mindblind in that they cannot imagine what others might be thinking, or even that others are thinking.¹

Many on the autism spectrum struggle to understand the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and perspectives of others–which can lead to miscommunications and challenges in relationships. Theory of Mind (ToM) is a social-cognitive skill that focuses on one’s own mental state as well as the mental states of others.² Because individuals with autism may not spontaneously develop this skill on their own, additional assistance and direct instruction are often required to effectively teach neurodivergent learners to understand the thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of other people. It is important to note, at the same time, that not everyone on the autism spectrum exhibits difficulty with theory of mind, and intervention plans should always be tailored according to the unique needs of each learner.^1&3

Defining Theory of Mind and Perspective-Taking Skills

Theory of mind skills typically emerge during early childhood (i.e., between the ages of 3 and 5 years) as children gain personal experience interacting in social settings and have the opportunity to play, establish friendships, use their imagination, and create stories with their peers.² Moral judgment, symbolic play, and social competence–as well as the ability to label false beliefs and identify personal presuppositions–are all closely related to the perspective-taking skills necessary for theory of mind development.⁴

During the childhood years, precursors to theory of mind development often include:

Recognizing and labeling the emotions and feelings of others
Understanding that people tend to act in accordance with what they want or desire ⁵
Acknowledging–and respecting–the fact that everyone has unique likes, dislikes, and personal preferences or interests
Engaging in pretend play (e.g., imagining what it would be like to be a firefighter, teacher, fitness instructor, entrepreneur, or storefront baker for a day)
Paying attention to people and copying the actions of others–when socially indicated and appropriate
Realizing that certain actions typically lead to specific consequences and predictable reactions from others (e.g., coloring on the wall will lead to frustrated parents and restitution consequences–like cleaning the walls–to correct the situation)

Without the ability to reliably predict, recognize, and understand the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and perspectives of others, it is difficult to successfully carry on conversations, tell stories, maintain friendships, engage in symbolic play, or understand why people do what they do.⁵ Therefore, effectively supporting individuals with autism in the development of theory of mind skills is crucial to fostering social competence in both the short term and long term.

Developing Theory of Mind Skills

Breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable, and easy-to-follow goals is a helpful approach for teaching theory of mind skills to those with autism. Celebrating small victories and the successful completion of pre-determined steps should occur regularly as achievements are attained over time.

The following suggestions may assist individuals on the autism spectrum in developing stronger theory of mind and perspective-taking skills:

Helping the individual “tune in” to their surroundings by role-playing, following their lead, and reading books that showcase characters who understand, attend to, and accommodate the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and perspectives of others ⁵
Explaining that, at times, people may display emotions that are incongruent with how they actually feel (e.g., smiling politely in public while feeling inwardly disappointed about how a conversation just played out)
Using social interactions as opportunities to discuss what each person is thinking in the moment
Providing opportunities for personal growth by giving direct instruction on joking, sarcasm, figurative language, and the meaning of symbolic communication–especially when it is not intuitive or immediately understood by the learner with autism
Allowing the individual to discover that people may desire different things, hold contrasting opinions, beliefs, and worldviews, or express their thoughts, feelings, and emotions in ways that are unique from their own

Each of these strategies can assist individuals with autism as they acquire a more robust understanding of the thoughts, feelings, emotions, actions, and perspectives of others.

Achievable Action Steps for Theory of Mind Development

Achievability is another crucial component to consider when helping individuals on the autism spectrum develop effective theory of mind and perspective-taking skills. Establishing small, bite-sized, and manageable goals aimed at improving one’s understanding of the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of others is vital.

The following tasks (ranked from simple to more complex respectively) can be used to help cultivate theory of mind skills among those on the spectrum: ²

Acknowledging that desires, needs, and wants (as well as the reasons behind them) differ from one person to the next
Recognizing that individuals may hold various beliefs, thoughts, and perspectives about the same situation
Accepting that one may not comprehend (or have the knowledge base necessary to comprehend) something that is true about themselves or certain events
Realizing that it is possible–and quite likely–for individuals to hold false beliefs about the world (both at small and at large)
Understanding that people can–and frequently do–act in one way while feeling another (e.g., smiling courteously in the check-out line at the grocery store while having feelings of frustration and inadequacy after a stressful day at work)

These tasks can be used as a checklist to encourage the growth of perspective-taking skills among individuals on the autism spectrum who have difficulty developing theory of mind skills on their own.

Summary

Learning to recognize the thoughts, feelings, perspectives, and emotions of others through Theory of Mind (ToM) development is essential and should be emphasized in treatment and intervention plans when individuals do not naturally develop the competencies necessary for successful social interactions with others.

Although theory of mind and perspective-taking skills are important, the presence or absence of them should never be used as a sole indicator for determining whether a person has autism or not. Current research in this area demonstrates that a lack of theory of mind is not universally experienced by all individuals on the spectrum and, therefore, is an unreliable indicator of the presence, absence, or severity of neurodiversity because key areas required for diagnosing autism (such as social communication deficits and repetitive and restrictive behaviors) are overlooked (i.e., not addressed).^1&3

Several final considerations to keep in mind as theory of mind skills are cultivated include:

Encouraging the exchange of ideas among peers
Providing explicit instruction
Anticipating the behavior of others
Recognizing that skill deficits may be attributed to a “modular impairment in theory of mind” or a lack of “socially relevant cues, such as another person’s gaze direction or emotional expression” to recruit social cognition.⁶

Considering this, those on the autism spectrum must be sufficiently supported as they seek to develop an ability to better understand the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of others.

What are your thoughts on the development of Theory of Mind (ToM) in individuals on the autism spectrum? Are these deficits fairly common among the neurodiverse population? Please share your thoughts in our comment section below.