Abstract
This study examined the link between theory of mind (ToM) in middle childhood and teachers’ propensity for mental-state language and self-reported conversational-instruction strategies. Multilevel analyses on 430 Italian children (221 girls, Mage = 9.34 years, SD = .63, Range: 7.95 – 11.43 years) from 27 primary-school classrooms and their teachers showed that: i) there were striking between-classroom differences in children’s ToM; ii) teachers’ propensity for mental-state language (β = .14) and self-reported conversational-instruction strategies (β = .16) were uniquely associated with pupils’ ToM even when child-related (i.e., age, verbal ability, number of siblings and SES) and teacher-related variables (i.e., ToM, verbal ability and years of experience) were controlled; iii) the association between self-reported conversational-instruction strategies and ToM was significant in older children and smaller classrooms. These findings extend socio-cultural accounts of ToM by showing a developmental continuity of environmental effects on children’s ToM.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Social Development |
Early online date | 25 Aug 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 25 Aug 2021 |
Keywords
- Theory of mind
- Middle childhood
- Teachers
- mental-state language
- instruction strategies
- instructions strategies
- teachers’ classroom interactions
- theory of mind
- mental-state conversations
- middle childhood
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Sociology and Political Science
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Sociology and Political Science
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)