Exploring the mutually reinforcing relationship between theory of mind and reading in adult readers

Journal article


Sophie Jackson 2022. Exploring the mutually reinforcing relationship between theory of mind and reading in adult readers. Journal of Research in Reading. 00 (00), pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12393
AuthorsSophie Jackson
Abstract

Background
Research with children shows that theory of mind predicts reading comprehension both concurrently and longitudinally, while research with adults shows increased print-exposure relates to theory of mind understanding. However, until now whether reading and theory of mind have a mutually reinforcing relationship in which they promote one another in parallel has not been explored. Therefore, this study aims to explore further the relationship between theory of mind and reading by investigating reading comprehension, print-exposure and theory of mind together.

Method
Theory of mind (Reading the Eyes in the Mind test), reading comprehension (subset of the York Adult Assessment Battery-Revised) and print-exposure (Authors Recognition Test) were measured in a sample of U.K. adults (N = 220).

Results
Findings showed that theory of mind was significantly related to both reading comprehension and reading print-exposure. Further, mediation analysis showed that this relationship does not operate with theory of mind mediating the relationship between print-exposure and reading comprehension as an indirect effect of print-exposure on reading comprehension through theory of mind was not found after controlling for age, income and education.

Conclusions
The findings provide some initial evidence that, at least in adulthood, reading and theory of mind have a mutually reinforcing relationship in which they promote one another in parallel, but this relationship cannot be explained by theory of mind mediating the relationship between print-exposure and reading comprehension.

Keywordsreading; reading comprehension; theory of mind
Year2022
JournalJournal of Research in Reading
Journal citation00 (00), pp. 1-15
PublisherWiley
ISSN0141-0423
1467-9817
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12393
Web address (URL)https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9817.12393
Output statusPublished
Publication dates29 Mar 2022
Publication process dates
Deposited15 Jul 2022
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https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/97wq3/exploring-the-mutually-reinforcing-relationship-between-theory-of-mind-and-reading-in-adult-readers

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