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Theory of Mind

The ability to take another’s perspective and see their point of view.  This is achieved by the ability to attribute mental states (such as beliefs, desires, emotions, perceptions, and intentions) to one’s one self and others in order to understand and predict behavior.  For more information http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/education/TheoryofMind.html

• Understanding another's perspective or intentions
• Having empathy
• Altering comments based upon what a peer or adult is thinking/feeling ("being sensitive")

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Sensory Regulation & Coping Skills

Self-regulation is defined as, "the ability to attain, maintain, and change arousal appropriately for a task or situation". Self-regulation also refers to the ability to control one's emotional, mental or physical responses to sensations (Kranowitz, 1998).   Individuals experiencing self-regulation difficulties are often unable to keep an even keel, or maintain suitable or appropriate behavior in certain situations, in particular, when a change occurs quickly without forewarning.

• Recognize signs of stress/anxiety in him/herself and others
• Learn to better regulate his/her sensory systems
• Increase knowledge of problem solving skills
• Increase ability to tolerate one’s own emotions
• Solutions for anger management and conflict resolution

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General Socialization & Communication:

General Socialization is a person’s ability to interact and communicate with others. This also involves understanding and playing by accepted social rules and norms. 

• Initiating, monitoring, maintaining, and disengaging from conversations
• Joining conversations or joining games already in progress
• Knowing when and when not to say something, whom to say it to, and when it is an appropriate time to say it
• Spontaneously greeting people
• Using a combination of questions and comments when interacting
• Cooperating, compromising, and negotiating with peers and adults

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Nonverbal Cues:

Non-verbal Cues Involve everything about communication, except for the actual verbal communication itself.  When we communicate, we use both verbal language and nonverbal cues to get our message across.  Nonverbal communication generally clarifies the meaning or intention behind a message.  For example, if James asks, “Who wants to go to the store” and Ellen replies “I’ll do it” we can generally assume that Ellen is willing to go to the store.  However, if Ellen replies, “I’ll do it” with her hands on her hips and rolling her eyes back, we can assume that she will do it, but doesn’t really want to.   Nonverbal cues refers to:  Body Language, Tone of Voice (rate, rhythm, and inflection), Posture, gestures, eye contact.  Nonverbal cues can also involve style of dress, hair cut, slogans warns on clothing, frequency of showering, etc.

• Identifying non-verbal cues based on facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and posture
• Recognizing emotions of both peers and adults
• Using nonverbal cues to emphasize your point

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Executive Functioning

Executive Functioning refers to the brain’s ability to create goals and plans and carry them out.  Executive Functioning encompasses several tasks including the ability to initiate and stop actions, to monitor one’s self and other’s behavior, to recognize when a task is not going well and change plans, to deal effectively with novelty, filter out stimuli and focus on the task at hand, time management, ability to learn from past mistakes, inhibit impulses, and to delay gratification. 

• Knowing what to pay attention to and what’s not important
• Learning to make goal directed plans
• Learning to prioritize and to manage time
• When things don’t go according to plan, learning to
  create a new plan (without getting upset)
• Increasing flexibility, tolerating ambiguity, and decreasing literal thinking
• Problem solving