Theory of mind deficit in adolescents with major depressive disorder

Objective: This study aims to investigate the two aspects of ToM (social-perceptual and social-cognitive) by comparing patients with major depressive disorder with in adolescents a healthy control group. Methods: The study included 30 adolescent patients with major depression and 31 healthy volunteers matched with patients in terms of age and educational stage. All participants were administered a form for sociodemographic and clinical information and then Kiddie-SADS (Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia), Kovacs Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), Smarties Test, Ice Cream Van Test, Hinting Test and Eyes Test were performed. Results: ToM deficit was found in patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder. There was a significant difference between the two groups in the parameters of the CDI, SCARED, Ice Cream Van test, Hinting test, and Eyes test. The WISC-R verbal scores of the patients were significantly correlated with the Eyes test. There was a significant relationship between the patients' depression scale for children and the ice cream van test. Conclusion: In addition to the literature, this study showed us that both dimensions of ToM may be impaired in adolescents with major depression.