Systematic Review: Theory of Mind and Parenting

Abstract

Social interactions play a crucial role in our daily lives. The ability to attribute mental states such as emotions, desires, beliefs to others and oneself is termed as theory of mind. Understanding oneself and others is a key phase in the cognitive development process. A variety of factors influence the development of the theory of mind, with parenting being one of the most significant. The present study employed a systematic review to explore about the studies conducted on the parenting and theory of mind, to get better understanding about the importance of parenting in the development of theory of mind. The study included ten studies on parenting and theory of mind that have been conducted between 2000 and 2018. The studies reviewed indicated significant relationship between parenting and theory of mind. Maternal education, parental stress, parental reactions to children also found to be connected with the theory of mind in children. Future studies could involve other family members along with parents in understanding the development of theory of mind in children.