Early relational origins of Theory of Mind: A two-study replication

Background

Research implies early relational factors – parental appropriate mind-mindedness (MM) and mutually responsive orientation (MRO) – as antecedents of children's Theory of Mind (ToM), yet the longitudinal path is unclear. Furthermore, little is known about the process in father–child relationships. In two studies of community families in a Midwestern state in United States, we tested a path from parental appropriate MM in infancy to parent–child MRO in toddlerhood to children's ToM at preschool age in mother– and father–child relationships, using comparable observational measures at parallel ages.

Methods

In Children and Parents Study (CAPS) of children born in 2017 and 2018, we collected data at 8 months (N = 200, 96 girls), 38 months, age 3 (N = 175, 86 girls), and 52 months, age 4.5 (N = 177, 86 girls). In Family Study (FS) of children born mostly in 2001, we collected data at 7 months (N = 102, 51 girls), 38 months, age 3 (N = 100, 50 girls), and 52 months, age 4.5 (N = 99, 49 girls). Parental MM (verbal comments aligned with the infant's psychological state) was observed in infancy, MRO (parent and child responsiveness to each other and shared positive affect) at age 3, and ToM (false belief tasks) at age 4.5.

Results

The findings supported the proposed indirect effects of parents' MM on children's ToM, mediated by MRO, for fathers and children in both studies, and for mothers and children, in CAPS. In FS, mothers' MM predicted MRO and ToM, but there was no mediation.

Conclusions

This investigation, testing a path from MM to MRO to ToM in both mother– and father–child relationships in two longitudinal studies, adds to the literature that has described relations among those constructs but rarely integrated those in one model.