Theory of Mind Software for Autism and other Communication Disorders

描述（由研究者提供）：充分参与人类社会环境要求人们能够理解其他人有自己的目标、意图和信仰（可能正确也可能不正确）——并且这些认知状态支配着人们的行为。这种形式的意识被称为心智理论（ToM）。不幸的是，许多患有自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 的儿童 ToM 的发育严重延迟或完全失败。 ToM 发育迟缓也出现在来自听力正常家庭 (DH)、未接触到足够语言输入的口聋儿童以及其他患有特定语言障碍 (SLI) 的儿童中。这些人群中普遍存在的 ToM 缺陷有助于越来越多的证据表明，语言在 ToM 发展中发挥着关键作用，也许是通过为理解有关认知状态的语言提供了一个重要框架。在拟议的研究中，我们寻求为 ASD、SLI 和 DH 儿童开发和现场测试课程和干预软件，可用于帮助纠正与 ToM 发展的经典测试中表现不佳可靠相关的语言缺陷。实现这一目标的进展至少将为儿童提供理解有关心灵的语言的基础，并且预计，这也将有助于许多儿童的 ToM 能力的实际发展，否则这些能力可能会被严重延迟或无法实现。在第一阶段，研究人员和顾问概述了整个项目的课程，并针对上述每个人群的儿童指定、开发和进行了现场测试原型软件。孩子们能够使用该软件并获得了学习的证据。在第二阶段，同一小组将合作开发完整课程并进行现场测试。将针对所示的三个诊断类别的儿童收集功效数据，包括一般语言、句法、ToM 能力和叙述技能的前后测量。公共卫生相关性 能够理解其他人有自己的目标、意图和信念（可能正确也可能不正确），以及这些认知状态控制人们的行为，被称为心智理论 (ToM)。不幸的是，许多患有自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 的儿童、没有接触到足够语言输入的口聋儿童以及其他患有特定语言障碍的儿童的 ToM 发育严重延迟。在拟议的研究中，我们将开发干预软件，帮助纠正与 ToM 开发的经典测试中表现不佳可靠相关的语言习得缺陷。实现这一目标的进展将提供一种有效且高效的方法，为儿童提供理解与认知状态相关的语言的基础，并且预计，这也将有助于 ToM 能力本身的发展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by investigator): Full participation in the human social milieu requires that one be able to understand that other people have their own goals, intentions, and beliefs (which may or may not be correct) - and that these epistemic states govern people's behavior. This form of awareness has been called Theory of Mind (ToM). Unfortunately, the development of ToM is severely delayed or fails altogether in many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Delays in the development of ToM are also seen in oral deaf children from hearing families (DH) who are not exposed to adequate language input, and others with Specific Language Impairment (SLI). The prevalence of ToM deficits in these populations contributes to mounting evidence that language plays a critical role in ToM development, perhaps by providing an essential framework for comprehending language about epistemic states. In the proposed research we seek to develop and field-test a curriculum and intervention software for children with ASD, SLI, and DH children that can be used to help remediate language deficits that are reliably associated with poor performance on classic tests of ToM development. Progress toward this goal will at the least provide children with a basis for understanding the language about the mind, and it is predicted, will also aid in the actual development of ToM abilities in many children for whom these abilities may otherwise be severely delayed or out of reach. In Phase I the investigators and consultants outlined a curriculum for the full project, and specified, developed, and field-tested prototype software with children in each of the populations listed above. The children were able to use the software and evidence of learning was obtained. In Phase II the same group will collaborate on development and field-testing of the full curriculum. Efficacy data, comprising pre- and post measures of general language, syntax, ToM abilities, and narrative skills, will be collected with children in the three diagnostic categories indicated. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE Being able to understand that other people have their own goals, intentions, and beliefs (which may or may not be correct) - and that these epistemic states govern people's behavior - has been called Theory of Mind (ToM). Unfortunately, the development of ToM is severely delayed in many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as well as in oral deaf children who are not exposed to adequate language input and others with Specific Language Impairment. In the proposed research we will develop intervention software that will help to remediate language acquisition deficits that are reliably associated with poor performance on classic tests of ToM development. Progress toward this goal will provide an effective and efficient means of providing children with a basis for understanding language associated with epistemic states, and it is predicted, will also aid in the development of ToM abilities per se.