The Effectiveness of the Floortime Rehabilitation Method on the Theory of Mind in Students With High-functioning Autism

Abstract

The present study investigated the effectiveness of the Floortime rehabilitation method on the theory of mind in students with high-functioning autism. This study is applied research in terms of purpose and falls within the category of intervention studies and quasi-experimental research, utilizing a pretest-posttest single-group design with a control group and follow-up. The statistical population included all male children aged 6–10 years with high-functioning autism in Tehran who were enrolled in exceptional schools during the 2023–2024 academic year. The sampling method employed was multi-stage cluster random sampling. Participants were selected from among autistic children diagnosed with high-functioning autism based on the criteria of the Organization for Exceptional Education and the administration of the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ). These children were enrolled in exceptional schools in Tehran. A total of 30 participants were randomly divided into two groups of 15. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and visual representation or graphical analysis. The results demonstrated that the Floortime intervention method significantly affected the subscales of the theory of mind in children with autism spectrum disorder. It can be concluded that the Floortime intervention method is effective in reducing psychological problems in students with autism and can be utilized to improve their psychological well-being.