Teoria da mente em pais de crianças com autismo: uma análise comparativa

Abstract

Theory of mind refers to the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others. People with autism show deficit in this ability. This dissertation aims to investigate theory of mind in parents of individuals with autism. Initially was performed a systematic review of the literature on theory of mind with relatives of individuals with autistic spectrum disorders. BVS Medline, Web of Science, Academic Search Premier and Psy Articles databases were used in the search for articles. Nine articles were analyzed and the results indicated inconclusive data about the existence of deficits in theory of mind in the family. Based on the hypothesis derived from the literature review, a comparative study was conducted with 90 participants: 30 parents of children with autism, 30 parents of children with Down syndrome and 30 parents of typically developing children, with the aim of evaluating theory of mind. The groups were matched based on gender and education. The instruments used were the Eyes Test and the Unexpected Outcomes Task. The results showed significant differences between groups in their theory of mind deductive ability. This finding suggests the existence of theory of mind deficits specifically in mothers. Further studies are suggested wich can explore the issues raised in the present study.