Investigating changes in performances on theory of mind stories, judgment of preference task and ultimatum game in children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder

The aim of this study was to compare children with and without Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in terms of their Theory of Mind (ToM) performance. To achieve this, the relationships between ToM performances in participants with and without ADHD were investigated. The sample consisted of 32 participants diagnosed with ADHD, while the control group consisted of 40 healthy participants without any health problems. Data were collected employing ToM Stories, the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test, the Judgment of Preference Task, and Ultimatum Game. In line with the purpose of the research, first, independent sample t-tests were employed to analyze the differences between groups using data obtained from ToM Stories and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test. According to the findings, there was a significant difference in ToM performances between the participants with and without ADHD. The groups differed in terms of ToM Stories and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes task. Second, a 2 (group: ADHD and healthy control) X 2 (order: first and second level) X 3 (condition: physical, cognitive, and affective) mixed measures ANOVA was conducted on the Judgment of Preference task scores. ANOVA results indicated the significant main effects of group, order, and condition, while the interaction effects of variables were not found to be significant. Third, Chi-square analyses were applied to the data obtained from the Ultimatum Game. We examined the effect of the group on the behavior of rejecting or accepting unfair offers presented in the Ultimatum Game using both Chi-Square and t-test analyses. Stickers were used as incentives during the game, and while the stickers earned differed between the groups, the rates of rejecting and accepting unfair offers did not significantly differ between the groups. The findings are discussed regarding their theoretical contributions, and the limitations of the study and suggestions for future studies are presented. Keywords: Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, Theory of Mind, Judgment of Preference, Ultimatum Game, Cognitive and Affective Theory of Mind