The Effective of Theory of Mind Training on the Emotion Regulation and Social Skills in Autism Spectrum Disorder Children

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the theory of mind on emotion regulation, and social skills in children with autism. The study was semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test with a control group. The study population includes all children with autism spectrum disorder in Zanjan city, 30 people (25 boys and 5 girls) in the age group of 10-12 years old were selected from schools, and the autism associations of Zanjan province by non-random purposeful sampling. They were placed in the experimental, and control group of 15 people. The experimental group was taught the theory of mind individually and in groups during 60 sessions. Multivariate covariance analysis was used to examine the data, which were gathered using Billini's social skills profile and Schilder and Chikti's emotion regulation checklist (1995). The results showed that mind theory training significantly (p<0.05) improved adaptive emotion regulation skills (p<0.001), negativity, (p<0.001) reciprocal social behaviors (p<0.001), mature social behavior and worthiness (p<0.001), and social engagement (p<0.001) in the students with autism spectrum disorder. Therefore, mind theory training can be considered an appropriate educational and therapeutic method to improve the social and cognitive functioning of students with the autism spectrum disorder. Based on obtained results, mind theory training can be used as an effective intervention to improve emotion regulation, and social skills in the children with spectrum disorder. It is advisable that education specialists contribute to the enhancement of socio-emotional functioning among autistic students through the integration of mind theory training into academic curricula