4

This article presents two validation studies of the French version of Theory of Mind Task Battery (Hutchins, Prelock, & Chace, 2008), known as Batterie ToM-vf (Houssa & Nader-Grosbois, 2012) carried out with preschoolers. In study 1, 209 children and in study 2, 82 children were assessed using Batterie ToM-vf and other Theory of Mind emotions and beliefs tasks (Nader-Grosbois & Thirion-Marissiaux, 2011). Parents and teachers filled out the Theory of Mind Inventory (ToMI-vf, Houssa, Mazzone, & Nader-Grosbois, 2014), the Social Adjustment for Children Scale (EASE, Hughes, Soares-Boucaud, Hochmann, & Fritz, 1997) and the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE, Lafrenière, Dumas, Capuano, & Durning, 1997). Results of study 1 showed a good internal consistency of all items. A principal components analysis with varimax rotation yielded a three-factor structure comprising “recognition of emotions,” “perspective-taking,” and “complex inference.” Scores varied depending on age. Positive significant correlations confirmed the convergent validity between Batterie ToM-vf scores and scores in other ToM-emotions and ToM-beliefs tasks, in ToMI-vf and in the EASE ToM subscale. Study 2 showed significant positive correlations for test-retest reliability and for inter-judge agreement. Significant correlations were obtained between Batterie ToM-vf scores and scores for prosocial, cooperative, and adaptation dimensions of SCBE and in the EASE-social skills subscale. In conclusion, the French version of ToM Task Battery presents good psychometric quality and its applicability to preschoolers is confirmed.