Effect of Social Cognitive Skills Training (SCST) on Cognitive and Affective Theory of Mind in Adolescents

Abstract

Social cognitive skills training (SCST) in a therapeutic setup can result in more positive outcomes when incorporated with psychotherapy, especially among adolescents with minor social-cognitive impairments, and it may result in multifarious benefits to mitigate their social-cognitive dysfunction. This research focuses on the effect of SCST on the cognitive and affective theory of mind for adolescents with low social cognition. Quasi-experimental research with a pre-test-post-test design was used. Edinburgh Social Cognition test (ESCoT) was used for pre-and post-testing one week before and post-SCST training. The significant findings reveal a positive impact of SCST on the affective theory of mind and cognitive theory of mind in the experimental group. No significant changes were found in the control group (waitlisted). The results help validate the SCST module to improve an adolescent’s cognitive and affective theory of mind in social cognition. Further implications are discussed.

Keywords

• social cognitive skills training
• cognitive theory of mind
• affective theory of mind
• social cognition
• adolescents