Abstract：
The study aimed to examine the performance on linguistic and cognitive tasks among Chinese preschool children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and explore the direct and indirect relationships between theory of mind (ToM) and literal and inferential listening comprehension. Forty-nine (N = 49) children with ASD and fifty-two (N = 52) age- and gender-matched typically developing (TD) children participated in the study. All participants were administered tasks evaluating their listening comprehension of literal and inferential statements, ToM, as well as verbal and nonverbal IQ. Results showed that the ASD group performed statistically worse on listening comprehension, ToM abilities, verbal IQ, and nonverbal IQ than their TD peers. Further, we found statistically significant correlations between general ToM performance and overall listening comprehension among Chinese preschool children with and without ASD. More specifically, ToM abilities of children with ASD had an indirect effect on their literal listening comprehension via the mediation of verbal IQ, whereas ToM performance among TD children predicted their literal listening comprehension via the mediation of nonverbal IQ. The major findings were discussed in detail based on the situation model. The research facilitated insights into listening comprehension among Chinese preschool children with and without ASD, providing their caregivers and teachers with viable strategies to improve their listening comprehension.
摘要：
该研究旨在研究中国有和没有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的学龄前儿童在语言和认知任务上的表现，并探讨心理理论（ToM）与文字和推理听力理解之间的直接和间接关系。49名（N=49）患有ASD的儿童和52名（N=52）年龄和性别匹配的典型发育（TD）儿童参加了这项研究。所有参与者都接受了任务，评估他们对文字和推论陈述的听力理解，ToM,以及言语和非言语智商。结果显示，ASD组在听力理解方面的表现在统计学上较差，ToM能力，言语智商,和非语言智商比他们的TD同龄人。Further,我们发现，在中国有和没有ASD的学龄前儿童中，总体ToM表现与总体听力理解之间存在统计学上的显着相关性。更具体地说,自闭症儿童的ToM能力通过言语智商的调解对他们的字面听力理解产生间接影响，而TD儿童的ToM表现通过非语言智商的中介来预测他们的字面听力理解。基于情境模型详细讨论了主要发现。这项研究促进了中国有和没有ASD的学龄前儿童对听力理解的认识，为他们的照顾者和教师提供可行的策略来提高他们的听力理解。
