Empathy and theory of mind abilities of children with specific learning disorder (SLD)

OBJECTIVES: Specific learning disorder (SLD) is a very common disorder in childhood, and it is discussed under neurodevelopmental disorders in the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). SLD affects children’s academic achievement, as well as bringing challenges in their social relationships. The purpose of our study is to compare the empathy and theory of mind (ToM) abilities of children with SLD with those of healthy peers.

METHODS: A total of 83 children were included in our study, comprising 40 cases diagnosed with SLD and without comorbidity and 43 healthy controls. The case group’s mean age was 9.3 ± 1.5 years and the control group’s mean age was 9.3 ± 1.3 years. All children were evaluated using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for Schoolage Children – Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), ToM tasks, and emotion recognition scales.

RESULTS: Children diagnosed with SLD demonstrated statistically significantly worse performance on the Comprehension Test (CT), Unexpected Outcomes Test (UOT), and Falsebelief Tasks, which evaluated the ToM and empathy abilities. No difference was obtained in intelligence level between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that children with SLD had challenges in the ToM and empathy abilities compared to children with healthy development. In conclusion, developing special education programmes by considering such possible shortcomings in the field of social cognition will positively contribute to the elimination of challenges faced by children in their academic and social lives.