Gender Differences in Advanced Theory of Mind and Social Competence Among School-Age Children

The present study explored gender differences in the development of theory of mind (ToM) and social competence among school-age children. It was hypothesized that children’s ToM ability related to their social competence. Children, ages 6 to 12-years (N=62; 38 girls, 24 boys) were administered 12 advanced ToM stories and a language assessment. Parents and teachers evaluated the children’s social skills (N=70; 40 girls, 30 boys), - using a 23 item social competence inventory which consisted of positive behaviors and two forms of negative behaviors: relational aggression and overt hostility. Results indicated positive associations between children’s ToM ability and positive social behavior. Separate gender analyses revealed that girls scored significantly higher on positive social behavior than boys