Purpose of the Questionnaire (Scale)

The tests assess the understanding of mental states (beliefs, intentions, emotions of others), the ability for social perception and empathy, as well as cognitive flexibility within social contexts.
They are intended for individuals on the autism spectrum (ASD), children and adults with social difficulties, and researchers in developmental psychology.

Questionnaire (Scale) Analysis

Main Tests
False Belief Task
A classic example is as follows: Anna moves the chocolate while Maria is away. The participant is asked, “Where will Maria look for it?” This evaluates the understanding that others may hold false beliefs.
Hinting Task
For example, Eleni says, “It’s very cold in here!” and the participant is asked to interpret the statement. This assesses the ability to understand indirect social intentions.
Picture Sequencing Task
The participant is asked to arrange pictures in a logical order, demonstrating understanding of social scenes and emotional states.

Scoring

Quantitative scoring: A correct answer receives 1 point, while an incorrect one receives 0 points. The total score is expressed as a percentage of correct answers (%).
Interpretation: A performance above 85% is considered typical, while a score below 70% indicates reduced Theory of Mind, suggesting possible features of the autism spectrum or social difficulties.

Statistical Analysis

The diagnostic sensitivity for ASD reaches 92%, while specificity is 88%. The tests show significant correlations with other tools, such as the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) (r = .75) and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) (r = .68).

Validity & Reliability

Internal consistency (Cronbach’s α) reaches .89. Discriminant validity is strong, as the tests successfully distinguish individuals with ASD from typically developing individuals (effect size d = 1.5).
Validated Greek adaptations of the tests are available (see Papadopoulos et al., 2020).

References

Main Sources
Baron-Cohen, S., et al. (1985). Does the autistic child have a “theory of mind”? Cognition, 21(1), 37–46.
Premack, D., & Woodruff, G. (1978). Does the chimpanzee have a theory of mind? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1(4), 515–526.
Greek Studies
Papadopoulos, G. (2020). Validation of Theory of Mind tests in a Greek population. Hellenic Journal of Psychology, 15(2), 45–60.