Development of the Theory of Mind in Intellectually Disabled and Normal Children and Its Relationship with Attachment Styles and Mental Health

The aim of the present study was to compare the theory of mind in intellectually disabled and normal children and to determine the relationship between theory of mind and attachment style and mental health.
Materials and Methods The method of study was descriptive correlational and Ex post facto. The sample consisted of 74 children with intellectual disabilities and 100 normal children who were selected using census sampling and available sampling in Birjand city. Mothers completed General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Adult Attachment Style Questionnaire and the theory of mind in children was evaluated through the theory of mind Test. The results showed that there is a significant difference between children with intellectual disability and normal children in the first and second levels of acquisition of the theory of mind (p<0/05), but there is no significant difference between children with intellectual disability and normal children in the third level of acquisition of the theory of mind (p>0/05). Also, the result showed that there is no significant relationship between theory of mind with attachment style and mental health (p>0/05). Therefore, it can be concluded that there is a significant difference between the acquisition of the theory of mind in children with intellectual disability and normal children, but there is no significant relationship between the theory of mind as well as attachment style and mental health in mothers.