The Effects of Theory of Mind Training on the False Belief Understanding of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in Prekindergarten and Kindergarten

Data from a growing number of research studies indicate that children with hearing loss are delayed in Theory of Mind (ToM) development when compared to their typically developing, hearing peers. While other researchers have studied the developmental trajectories of ToM in school-age students who ar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of deaf studies and deaf education 2016-07, Vol.21 (3), p.310-325
Main Authors: Tucci, Stacey L., Easterbrooks, Susan R., Lederberg, Amy R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Beliefs
Child
Child Development
Child, Preschool
Comprehension
Deafness
Developmental Psychology
EMPIRICAL MANUSCRIPT
Female
Generalization
Hearing Impairments
Humans
Intervention
Kindergarten
Male
Misconceptions
Outcomes of Treatment
Partial Hearing
Persons With Hearing Impairments
Preschool Education
Pretests Posttests
Skill Development
Students
Theory of Mind
Visual Aids
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Summary:Data from a growing number of research studies indicate that children with hearing loss are delayed in Theory of Mind (ToM) development when compared to their typically developing, hearing peers. While other researchers have studied the developmental trajectories of ToM in school-age students who are deaf, a limited number have addressed the need for interventions for this population. The present study extends the current research on ToM interventions to the Prekindergarten and Kindergarten levels. This study used a single-case multiple baseline design to examine the effects of a ToM intervention on participants' false belief understanding as well as outcomes on a near generalization measure and a far generalization measure. A ToM thought bubble intervention (i.e., a visual representation of what people are thinking) developed by Wellman and Peterson (2013. Deafness, thought bubbles, and theory-of-mind development. Developmental Psychology, 49, 2357–2367) was modified in key areas. Results from the Single-Case Design portion of the study indicate a functional, or causal, relation between the ToM intervention and the participants' acquisition of the targeted skills in each stage although progress was not uniform. Results from the pre–post assessments indicate that the children did make progress up the scale. These results inform the field in regard to the efficacy and feasibility of a ToM intervention for young deaf children.
ISSN:1081-4159
1465-7325
DOI:10.1093/deafed/enw031