Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://scholarhub.balamand.edu.lb/handle/uob/7552
Title: Link between the inhibitory control and the false belief understanding, and the effect of the environment on the theory of mind in Lebanese preschoolers
Authors: Abboud, Marianne
Advisors: Angeard, Nathalie
Keywords: Theory of Mind, Lebanese preschoolers, Executive functioning, Inhibitory Control, False Belief Understanding, Inhibitory Control, environmental factors
Subjects: University of Balamand--Dissertations
Dissertations, Academic
Issue Date: 2024
Publisher: [Kalhat, Lebanon] : [University of Balamand], 2024
Abstract: 
Preschool ages are significant for the acquisition of ToM and EF according to the theoretical
points. ToM involves understanding one's and others' mental states, while EF encompasses
cognitive processes facilitating goal-directed behavior. Research highlights the persistent link
between ToM and EF across different cultures. Nonetheless, there is a lack of knowledge
regarding these aspects specifically in the Lebanese population. Hence this research aims to
explore the relationship between (ToM) and (EF) in preschool Lebanese children aged 3 to 6,
with a focus on False Belief Understanding (FBU) and Inhibitory Control (IC) as both are key
for complex cognitive and social functions, relatively in the specified age period Besides, this
study seeks to establish the moderating effect of environmental factors, which includes the
level of education of the parents and number of siblings on ToM success.The study involved
30 preschool Lebanese children, utilizing the “ACB-TOM” (Arabic Version For Battery
Children – Theory Of Mind) for ToM assessment and “Hearts and flowers” task for IC
measurement. Some of the ethics issues that were outlined comprised of informed consent,
participants’ emotional state, privacy, and culture in relation to the conducting of the research.
The regression design has been utilized to analyze the relationship between IC and FBU.
Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were employed to analyse age differences while the
levels of significance for the ToM aspects were established using a one-way ANOVA test.
Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the effects of family factors on the overall
ToM success. Results showed that higher IC scores were significantly and strongly associated
with higher FBU scores r (30) = 0.62; p < 0.001. In children aged <55 months, the results
showed that higher IC scores were significantly and moderately-to-strongly associated with
higher FB scores r (15) = 0.67; p = 0.006. In children aged 55 months and above, the results
showed no significant association between the IC and FB scores r (15) = 0.44; p = 0.103.
And lastly no statistically justified difference was observed regarding ToM scores between
the mothers belonging to school level and those belonging to university level groups (4. 67 ±
1. 53 and 6. 15 ± 2. 37) t (28) = -1. 05, p = 0. 302) and fathers with a school and university
level of education (5. 80 ± 1. 92 vs 6. 04 ± 2. 42) t (28) = -0. 21, p = 0. 837). Likewise, there
was a small but significant positive correlation between participants’ IC score (Total score r =
0. 47 p = 0. 008), while there was no correlation between participants’ number of siblings
(Total score r = 0. 26 p = 0. 174) and the total ToM score. The linear regression analysis with
the ToM scores as the dependent variable indicated that the higher IC scores predicting the
ToM scores were statistically significant; Beta = 0. No similar investigations have been conducted in the Lebanese context which made this research unique and important to
understand Lebanese preschoolers' cognitive and social development. Such discoveries could
be useful to educators, parents, and caregivers by aiding in the better understanding and
combination of teaching methodologies and rehabilitation therapies for children with such
issues.
Description: 
Includes bibliographical references (p. 52-55)
URI: https://scholarhub.balamand.edu.lb/handle/uob/7552
Rights: This object is protected by copyright, and is made available here for research and educational purposes. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the object beyond the personal and educational use exceptions must be obtained from the copyright holder
Ezproxy URL: Link to full text
Type: Thesis
Appears in Collections:UOB Theses and Projects

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