Students receiving targeted Theory-of-Mind (TOM) training are able to function better socially.

This study examined whether or not it is possible to improve Theory-of-Mind (TOM) through specific types of training. The social cognition training program (based upon work by Steerneman and colleagues) was given to 18 children between the ages of 8 and 11 who had at least average verbal intelligence. The students showed improved social cognitive skills at the end of 21 weeks of one hour per week TOM training. The therapy was unable, however, to improve the students'?? ability to recognize emotions and modify their understanding of false belief. This may have been because the children in this study actually had a normal ability of recognizing emotions prior to beginning therapy. Read more...