Seeing both Wood and Trees: A Theory-of-Mind Spectrum Emerges from the Conversations with Students Identified with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Difficulties

Abstract

Despite its explanatory capacity for the impairments of social communication observed in people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Theory-of-Mind (ToM) has been challenged for excessively focusing on cognition and overlooking the individual differences and complexity of personal and social experiences that people with ASD encounter. Responding to a call for investigating ToM from the second-person perspective (Reddy & Morris, 2009), this study invited 20 Korean students identified with ASD and intellectual difficulties to engage in the conversational enquiry process to explore their ToM related experience. A Theory-of-Mind Spectrum Model is suggested to embrace the complexity of Theory-of-Mind for individuals with ASD and intellectual difficulties, including both strengths and difficulties. Educational implications are discussed.