Normative Data and Reliability of the Moving Shapes Paradigm

Abstract

Objective: Moving Shapes paradigm is a test that evaluates intentionality as a theory of mind (ToM) component. This study aimed to assess the normative data and reliability of this test in a community sample of 9-11-year-old children.
 Method: A total of 398 children aged between 9 and 11 years were recruited from mainstream elementary schools through a random cluster sampling. All participants were evaluated using the Moving Shapes paradigm. To evaluate test-retest reliability, the test was administered again after 2-4 weeks.
 Results: The intentionality mean score was 29.70 (+5.88) out of 60. There was no significant difference between girls and boys in test scores. Age was not significantly related to the paradigm variables scores. Ten percent of the participants achieved the scores below 22, and 10% above 37. Cronbach’s Alfa was 0.40 for the intentionality score. The test-retest reliability was fair to good (0.43 - 0.79) for different groups of animations. The inter-rater agreement was 80%.
 Conclusion: The study found that the Moving shapes paradigm is a reliable instrument to evaluate intentionality in normal school-aged children.

Association of verbal and non-verbal theory of mind abilities with non-coding variants of OXTR in youth with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing individuals: a case-control study

“…An adapted version of the moving shapes paradigm (aka Frith-Happé animations) [ 45 ] and a formerly validated Happé’s Strange Stories test [ 46 ] were used to examine the non-verbal and verbal ToM abilities of all participants. Each task was displayed on a 17-inch monitor while the responses were recorded.…”

“…Moreover, although most of the cartoon-based ToM tasks are able to measure non-verbal ToM components, Frith- Happé animation task (also known as moving shapes paradigm) can assess both verbal and non-verbal components of ToM [ 40 ]. It should also be noted that Happé’s Strange Stories test and Frith- Happé animation task specialized to evaluate verbal and non-verbal ToM components in both children and adolescents with high-functioning autism and have been validated (normalized) in different languages including Persian [ 41 , 42 ]. So, it seems that these two tasks can distinguish ToM abilities based on the usage of language in children and adolescents with high-function autism as well as typically developing children and adolescents.…”

Alterations in the transcript level of the Contactin Associated Protein 2 gene could conceivably influence verbal Theory of Mind and predict autism spectrum disorder incidence

“…In order to assess non-verbal ToM, a normalized version of the moving shapes paradigm (also known as Frith-Happé animations) was utilized. (31). Moving Shapes paradigm has been developed based on three blocks of random, goaloriented, and ToM animations in which two colored triangles appear as characters.…”

Alterations in the transcript level of the CNTNAP2 gene could conceivably influence verbal Theory of Mind and estimate autism likelihood

“…In order to assess non-verbal ToM, a normalized version of the moving shapes paradigm (also known as Frith-Happé animations) was utilized. 31 . Moving Shapes paradigm has been developed based on three blocks of random, goal-oriented, and ToM animations in which two colored triangles appear as characters.…”