ABSTRACT

This study tests the role of verbal mediation during theory of mind processing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Adolescents with ASD or typical development completed a false belief task while simultaneously performing a verbal or nonverbal load task. There was no group difference in false belief accuracy; however, under verbal load, the ASD group was relatively less efficient, with slower reaction times, in false belief compared to true belief trials. Faster false belief task performance under verbal but not nonverbal load was associated with pragmatic language ability for the ASD group only. Results were consistent with the theory that there are two (implicit, nonverbal and explicit, verbal) processes that support cognitive reasoning about other people’s minds and that people with ASD rely more on the explicit system. Verbal mediation may be critical for false belief understanding in individuals with ASD but not typical development.

摘要

本研究测试了自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 心理加工理论中语言调解的作用。患有 ASD 或典型发育的青少年完成了一项错误信念任务，同时执行了一项语言或非语言负荷任务。错误信念准确度无组间差异；然而，在语言负荷下，ASD 组的效率相对较低，与真实信念试验相比，错误信念的反应时间较慢。仅 ASD 组在口头而非非语言负荷下更快的错误信念任务表现与语用语言能力相关。结果与理论一致，即有两种（隐式、非语言和显式、语言）过程支持对他人思想的认知推理，并且 ASD 患者更依赖外显系统。言语调解可能对 ASD 患者的错误信念理解至关重要，但不是典型的发展。