Longitudinal Relations Among Theory of Mind, Advanced Theory of Mind, and Executive Function From Ages Four to Seven

This longitudinal study examined the developmental relations between first-order Theory of Mind (ToM), advanced ToM, and executive function (EF) from ages 4 to 7.5. Two-hundred-three German children were assessed at ages 4, 5.5, and 7.5 on measures of ToM, EF (working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility), general cognition, and language. Using regression, structural equation modeling (SEM), and latent class analysis, we investigated whether early ToM and EF predict advanced ToM performance