Theory of mind performance in depression: A meta-analysis

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders 2022-04, Vol.303, p.233-244
• Main Authors: Nestor, Bridget A., Sutherland, Susanna, Garber, Judy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Emotions; Humans; Meta-analysis; Theory of Mind
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.02.028

•Meta-analysis of depression and theory of mind (ToM) or the ability to understand the thoughts and feelings of others.•Small-moderate ToM deficits (g = −0.398) observed in individuals with depression across the lifespan.•Intervention and prevention work should target this specific ability in conjunction with depressive symptoms. Theory of mind (ToM) is a social-cognitive skill that involves the ability to understand the thoughts and feelings of others. Evidence is mixed regarding the extent of ToM ability in individuals with depression. We conducted a meta-analysis of 43 studies to investigate the strength of the association between ToM and depression. Results indicated significant, small- to moderate impairment in ToM with a medium overall effect size (g = -0.398) in individuals with depression. Moderator analyses compared effect sizes across groups for the following variables: ToM content, process, and sample type. Additionally, meta-regression analyses tested age and gender as continuous moderators. The cross-sectional nature of included studies limits this meta-analysis from clarifying temporal or bidirectional relations. We discuss findings in the context of the extant developmental, cognitive, social, and clinical literatures. We also suggest several possible explanations for these findings and offer implications for intervention.