Project
The Relation between Executive Functioning, Theory of Mind, and Lying in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Carmen Rasmussen, University of Alberta; email: carmen@ualberta.ca
Start/End Date: January 2006 – December 2006
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Brief Description: The objective of this study is to examine executive functioning, theory of mind, and lying in young children with FASD. Many of the delinquent behaviors and high incarceration rates among individuals with FASD may result, in part, from a tendency to lie and deceive others. It is conceivable that problems with executive functions like inhibition and lack of cause and effect reasoning may be linked to in lying. Furthermore, difficultly understanding the views of others (theory of mind) may also be a factor in why some individuals lie. Despite the disconcerting secondary disabilities and unlawful behaviors common in FASD, no researchers have studied lying in children with FASD. However, lying is frequently noted as a serious concern by parents and clinicians dealing with individuals with FASD. Little is known about the theory of mind abilities in children with FASD but there is considerable evidence documenting executive function deficits in children with FASD. We believe that both executive functioning and theory of mind difficulties may be an important factor in lying among children with FASD.
First, we will measure the rate of lying among children with FASD. Next, we will examine the relations between executive function, theory of mind, and lying among children with FASD to determine whether children who have poorer executive functions and theory of mind are more likely to lie. We also intend to ascertain whether children with FASD show the same developmental differences in lying behavior as seen in non-FASD children. We anticipate that children with FASD will display high rates of lying. Further, we hypothesize that executive functioning and theory of mind abilities will be highly correlated with lying among children with FASD, in that children with poorer executive functioning and theory of mind abilities will lie more often than those with less executive function and theory of mind deficits. We do not suspect that children with FASD will show the same developmental differences in lying as other non-FASD children, as we suspect children with FASD will be delayed on some aspects of lying behavior.
Time Frame: completed
Kind of Project: research
Population Served: Children with FASD, urban and some rural
Publications: Rasmussen C, Talwar V, Loomes C & Andrew G (2007). Lie-telling in children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Manuscript submitted for publication
Rasmussen C, Wyper K & Talwar V (2007). The relation between theory of mind and executive functions in children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Manuscript submitted for publication.
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