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This two-year follow-up study examined the predictive relationships of theory of mind (ToM) to social interaction by reciprocal social behaviors (RSBs) and social functioning (SF) in 106 children with ASD. The results of the path analysis showed that the earlier ToM predicted children's current component RSBs (B = 3.53, SE = 1.86, p = 0.039) and the current SF (B = 1.79-1.87, SE = 0.03-0.34, p < 0.001). The aloof and passive social interaction styles predicted fewer turn-taking of RSBs (B = - 48.77 to - 111.17, p < 0.001) and fewer components of RSBs (B = - 36.30 to - 81.41, p < 0.001). This finding provides empirical evidence that ToM predicts social interaction in children with ASD.

This study examined the cognitive correlates of reciprocity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 59 children with ASD were assessed with the Interactive Drawing Task, Theory of Mind Task Battery, Children's Card Change Sort Task, and Children's Gambling Task respectively for their reciprocity, theory of mind, cool executive function (EF), and hot EF. The correlational findings revealed that cool EF (r = 0.482 and -0.501, p < 0.01) and hot EF (r = 0.396, p < 0.05) were significantly correlated with children's total reciprocity. The regression models also showed that cool and hot EF abilities were significant predictors. Conclusively, cool and hot EF abilities are the correlates of reciprocity rather than of ToM in children with ASD.

Impaired executive function (EF), verbal comprehension, and theory of mind (ToM) may contribute to social difficulties in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The linkage between cool (cognitive) EF and ToM has been widely investigated, but the relations between hot (affective) EF and ToM remain largely unknown. The roles of cool EF and verbal comprehension have not been previously explored together to address hot EF–ToM relations. This study applied mediation analysis to investigate the mediating effects of cool EF and verbal comprehension to further elaborate the link between hot EF and ToM in children with ASD and average intellectual abilities. A total of 97 children with ASD aged from 6 to 12 years participated in this study. Children's cool EF, hot EF, and verbal comprehension were, respectively, measured with the computerized Dimensional Change Card Sort task, Children's Gambling Task, and the verbal comprehension index of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children‐fourth edition. Children's ToM was assessed with the Theory of Mind Task Battery. Partial correlation coefficients indicated that hot EF was significantly related with ToM with age controlled for. The results of the mediation analysis showed that cool EF and verbal comprehension mediated the linkage between hot EF and ToM. These findings highlight not only the connections between hot EF and ToM but also the importance of cool EF and verbal comprehension on hot EF–ToM relations in clinical assessments and interventions for school‐aged children with ASD and average intellectual abilities. Lay Summary: Relatively few studies have investigated the hot (affective) executive function (EF)–theory of mind (ToM) relations in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study discovered that hot EF was significantly related to ToM, while cool (cognitive) EF and verbal comprehension mediated the relationship between hot EF and ToM. Therefore, the influence of cool EF and verbal comprehension on hot EF–ToM relations should be considered in studies involving children with ASD. Autism Res 2021, 14: 921–931. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purpose: Many surveys of child sexual abuse (CSA) in Western countries focus on the victims' disclosures and their associated factors during forensic interviews, but similar data in Asian countries is scarce. We explored the disclosure rate of CSA allegations during forensic interviews in South Taiwan and the factors predicting such disclosure. We compared our findings with those of previous studies.Methods: Data were collected from written forensic psychiatric reports of CSA victims who underwent early forensic psychiatric evaluation at two hospitals in Kaohsiung City from 2010 to 2015. All cases were divided into categories of full or nonfull disclosures. We identified the variables that distinguished between the two groups in bivariate analyses using the independent t test and the Chi-square test. Binary logistic regression analysis was done to determine whether those significant correlates in the bivariate analyses were independent predictors of full disclosure.Results: Among the 55 cases, 32 (58%) were full disclosures. Older age at first interview (odds ratio=1.39), no diagnosis of mental retardation (odds ratio=0.04), and experiencing sexual abuse more than once (odds ratio=5.90) were positive factors independently related to the full disclosure of CSA allegations.Conclusion: The rate of disclosure under the program was comparable to that of prior studies. This may suggest a role for early forensic psychiatric evaluation of children to promote disclosure of CSA allegations. We hope the findings may serve as a basis for future studies of CSA disclosure and associated factors in Taiwanese society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impaired executive function (EF), verbal comprehension, and theory of mind (ToM) may contribute to social difficulties in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The linkage between cool (cognitive) EF and ToM has been widely investigated, but the relations between hot (affective) EF and ToM remain largely unknown. The roles of cool EF and verbal comprehension have not been previously explored together to address hot EF-ToM relations. This study applied mediation analysis to investigate the mediating effects of cool EF and verbal comprehension to further elaborate the link between hot EF and ToM in children with ASD and average intellectual abilities. A total of 97 children with ASD aged from 6 to 12 years participated in this study. Children's cool EF, hot EF, and verbal comprehension were, respectively, measured with the computerized Dimensional Change Card Sort task, Children's Gambling Task, and the verbal comprehension index of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-fourth edition. Children's ToM was assessed with the Theory of Mind Task Battery. Partial correlation coefficients indicated that hot EF was significantly related with ToM with age controlled for. The results of the mediation analysis showed that cool EF and verbal comprehension mediated the linkage between hot EF and ToM. These findings highlight not only the connections between hot EF and ToM but also the importance of cool EF and verbal comprehension on hot EF-ToM relations in clinical assessments and interventions for school-aged children with ASD and average intellectual abilities. LAY SUMMARY: Relatively few studies have investigated the hot (affective) executive function (EF)-theory of mind (ToM) relations in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study discovered that hot EF was significantly related to ToM, while cool (cognitive) EF and verbal comprehension mediated the relationship between hot EF and ToM. Therefore, the influence of cool EF and verbal comprehension on hot EF-ToM relations should be considered in studies involving children with ASD. Autism Res 2021, 14: 921-931. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC., (© 2020 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)