Theory of Mind
Theory of Mind (ToM) impairment has been identified as a core, cognitive feature of autism. ToM refers to the ability to understand the motivations and perspectives of others, and how that relates to oneself. That is, children with autism report exactly what they see and know but miss what someone else might think, know, or believe (Baron-Cohen et al., 1985). This often leads others to believe that the child with AS does not show empathy or understand them, which can create great difficulty in social situations.
Other social skills programs teach your child to follow social rules. At Cornerstone Speech & Language, we believe that your child has to understand Theory of Mind first. We call it bottom-up social skills. We use games, childhood stories, costumes and dramatic play. It’s fun. It works. It can make a world of difference for your child. Your child will learn to experience what others can see, what others can know, what others can believe.
Carol Krakower is the author of Theory of Mind: Learning Social Skills from the Bottom Up, which she developed based on new research on mirror neurons and how they affect social cognition.
Theory of Mind therapy gives your child the tools to:
- Discern what others know, expect, and believe
- Understand the rationale of social behaviors
- Predict the behavior or emotional state of others
- Infer the intentions of others
- Understand how behavior impacts how others think and feel
Schedule an appointment and take the first steps towards improving your child’s social skills from the bottom up!
