Implications of Social Competence among Thirty-Month-Old Toddlers: A Theory of Mind Perspective

Emiko Tanaka; Etsuko Tomisaki; Ryoji Shinohara; Yuka Sugisawa; Lian Tong; Taeko Watanabe; Yoko Onda; Yuri Kawashima; Maki Hirano; Yukiko Mochizuki; Kentaro Morita; Amarsanaa Gan-Yadam; Yuko Yato; Noriko Yamakawa; Shoji Itakura; Tamiko Ogura; Aya Kutsuki; Misa Kuroki; Tokie Anme; Japan Children's Study Group

doi:10.2188/jea.JE20090173

Japan Children's Study 2004–2009, a Developmental Cohort Study of Early Childhood

Implications of Social Competence among Thirty-Month-Old Toddlers: A Theory of Mind Perspective

Emiko Tanaka, Etsuko Tomisaki, Ryoji Shinohara, Yuka Sugisawa, Lian Tong, Taeko Watanabe, Yoko Onda, Yuri Kawashima, Maki Hirano, Yukiko Mochizuki, Kentaro Morita, Amarsanaa Gan-Yadam, Yuko Yato, Noriko Yamakawa, Shoji Itakura, Tamiko Ogura, Aya Kutsuki, Misa Kuroki, Tokie Anme, Japan Children's Study Group

Author information

Emiko Tanaka
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Etsuko Tomisaki
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Ryoji Shinohara
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Yuka Sugisawa
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Lian Tong
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Taeko Watanabe
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Yoko Onda
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Yuri Kawashima
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Maki Hirano
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Yukiko Mochizuki
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Kentaro Morita
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Amarsanaa Gan-Yadam
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Yuko Yato
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
College of Letters, Ritsumeikan University
Noriko Yamakawa
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Clinical Research Institute, Mie-Chuo Medical Center National Hospital Organization
Shoji Itakura
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University
Tamiko Ogura
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Tezukayama University
Aya Kutsuki
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University
Misa Kuroki
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Tokie Anme
Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba
Japan Children's Study Group

Keywords: social development, theory of mind, cohort study, diverse desire

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2010 Volume 20 Issue Supplement_II Pages S447-S451

DOI https://doi.org/10.2188/jea.JE20090173

View "Advance Publication" version (February 23, 2010).

Details

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the relations between children’s social competence and initial index of theory of mind at 30 months of age.
Methods: The participants of the study were 322 toddlers and parents/caregivers who were registered with the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) project. They completed a five-minute interaction session, which was coded using the Interaction Rating Scale (IRS) as an evidence-based practical index of children’s social competence. In addition, the children were asked to complete a diverse-desire task as a ToM (theory of mind) index.
Results: The results showed that the ToM index was related to the total score and subscales of the IRS, such as Empathy and Emotional regulation.
Conclusions: These findings show that the IRS score was related to ToM task performance at 30 months of age.

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