TO WHAT EXTENT CAN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM UNDERSTAND DESIRE

Previous studies of theory of mind abilities in young people with auti sm have found that their understanding of false belief is specifically impaired, but that simple aspects of desire are understood in line wi th mental age. We explored the possibility that more complex aspects o f desire (in which comparison of goals with outcomes is not a sufficie nt strategy) are not understood by children with autism. In two experi ments, we found that these children were specifically impaired in unde rstanding desire satisfaction and desire change, when compared with ch ildren with mental handicap and normal 4-6-year-olds. Although there w as some evidence that understanding of desires may be easier for indiv iduals with autism than understanding false belief, it would appear th at they have difficulties in understanding both epistemic and volition al mental states.