Mental state language in autism. Evidence from a drama therapy intervention
Davide Carattino, Silvano Solari, Mirella Zanobini
The IDEAS project was conceived to improve socioemotional functioning in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), through drama therapy. Drama has proved to support the development of their psychological, emotive and communicative skills, particularly those linked to Theory of Mind (TOM). The current study examines the production of mental state language among a sample of 7 boys, 5 with ASD and 2 with autistic traits. The sessions were divided into two situations: an experimental one, composed of drama activities, and a control one, where the boys played some board games. The results evidenced that the participants produced a greater number of mental state terms during the drama activities, with a more sophisticated use of these terms than those pronounced during the control situation.
Keywords
Autism, drama therapy, language, Theory of Mind, mental state terms.