Theory of Mind, Emotion Knowledge, and School Engagement in Emerging Adolescents

Abstract

Theory of Mind (ToM), or the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others to predict behavior is an important skill that helps adolescents to navigate through school. Building on emerging research on the cognitive and affective aspects of ToM and school engagement, this cross-sectional study explored ToM, emotion knowledge, and school engagement in 32 adolescents (22 females; M_age = 187.2 mos – 15.16 years, SD = 3.29) from central Canada. Positive correlations were found between ToM and school engagement, controlling for language. Higher levels of  experiences of guilt and shame were associated with higher levels of ToM and school engagment. Verbal ability significantly contributed to total perceptions of school engagement. Implications for adolescents’ social cognition, mental health, and school experiences are discussed.