学龄前精神障碍通常与重大的人际关系问题有关,与受损的情感识别有关,心理理论(ToM),和同理心。迄今为止,这些技能尚未在具有外部行为问题(EBP)的学龄前儿童中一起研究。本研究的目的是调查EBP的学龄前儿童是否以及在多大程度上表现出情感识别障碍,ToM,和同理心。有EBP的学龄前儿童,根据当前的精神病治疗和儿童行为清单(CBCL/1½-5或6-18R)的外部化问题量表上的T评分≥60定义与非临床对照(HC)进行比较,定义为没有过去和当前的精神病治疗,并且在所有CBCL宽带量表上T评分<60。在情感识别上比较了各组(NEuroPSYchology评估-II),情感ToM(情感理解测试),认知ToM(扩展心理理论量表),父母报告的情绪传染,注意别人的感受,和亲社会行动(移情问卷),智商和语言(韦克斯勒学龄前和初级智力量表-III矩阵,主动和被动词汇测试),控制年龄,性别,和语言能力。与28个HC相比,22名患有EBP的学龄前儿童(总样本平均值=5.5年+/-0.8年,范围=4.2-6.9年,男性66%)在认知ToM方面有显著更大的损伤(p=0.0012,η2=0.266),关注他人的感受(p=0.0049,η2=0.222),和亲社会行动(p=0.0070,η2=0.210),每个都代表强大的效果大小。EBPs与认知领域显著相关,如亲社会行动(r=-0.501),认知ToM(r=-0.425),注意他人的感受(r=-0.332),但不是社会认知的情感领域。社会认知发展可能早在学龄前就受到损害,应该在孩子开始上学之前促进。
Preschool mental disorders are often associated with significant interpersonal problems, related to impaired affect recognition, theory of mind (ToM), and empathy. To date, these skills have not been studied together in preschoolers with externalizing behavior problems (EBPs). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether and to what extent preschool children with EBPs show impairments in affect recognition, ToM, and empathy. Preschoolers with EBPs, defined by current psychiatric treatment and T-scores ≥ 60 on the externalizing problem scale of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/1½-5 or 6-18R) were compared to non-clinical controls (HCs), defined by no past and no current psychiatric treatment and T-scores < 60 on all CBCL broad-band scales. Groups were compared on affect recognition (NEuroPSYchological Assessment-II), affective ToM (Test of Emotion Comprehension), cognitive ToM (Extended Theory-of-Mind Scale), parent-reported emotional contagion, attention to others\' feelings, and prosocial action (Empathy Questionnaire), IQ and language (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-III Matrices, Active and Passive Vocabulary test), controlling for age, sex, and language abilities. Compared to 28 HCs, 22 preschoolers with EBPs (total sample meanage = 5.5 years +/- 0.8 years, range= 4.2-6.9 years, males 66%) had significantly greater impairments in cognitive ToM (p = 0.0012, η2 = 0.266), attention to others\' feelings (p = 0.0049, η2 = 0.222), and prosocial action (p = 0.0070, η2 = 0.210), each representing strong effect sizes. EBPs were significantly related to cognitive domains, like prosocial action (r = -0.501), cognitive ToM (r = -0.425), and attention to others\' feelings (r = -0.332), but not to affective domains of social cognition. Social cognitive development may be impaired as early as preschool age and should be promoted before the child starts school.