Inference processing in adolescents with Asperger syndrome: Relationship with theory of mind abilities

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of theory of mind competence in inference processing in adolescents with Asperger syndrome (AS). We sought to pinpoint the level at which AS individuals experience difficulty drawing inferences and identify the factors that account for their inference-drawing problems. We hypothesized that this difficulty could be related to a theory of mind (ToM) deficit. To test this hypothesis, we conducted an experiment investigating the processing of causal, predictive and pragmatic inferences. Participants also performed a second-order false-belief task. Ten adolescents with AS and ten controls matched for age, sex and verbal IQ took part in the study. Results indicated that the individuals with AS had greater difficulty processing inferences (both semantic and pragmatic) than the controls and that ToM could subtend inference-drawing. The findings are discussed in the light of the two main psychological theories: theory of mind and weak central coherence.