Adaptación al español y propiedades psicométricas de la prueba de evaluación de la teoría de la mente Tarea de Yoni: Estudio preliminar

Abstract

La teoría de la mente es la competencia de atribuir mente a otros y predecir y comprender sus conductas en función de entidades mentales. Esta función se compone de dos aspectos, uno cognitivo y otro afectivo. El objetivo del trabajo fue realizar adaptaciones lingüísticas y analizar las propiedades psicométricas de la Tarea de Yoni en una muestra piloto, con la finalidad de contribuir a la validación en el contexto de Argentina y valorar diferentes aspectos de la teoría de la mente de manera sistemática y con baja incidencia de otros procesos cognitivos. Para tal fin, se realizó una prueba piloto con 33 adultos jóvenes de entre 20 y 40 años, en la que se utilizó una versión informatizada de la Tarea de Yoni adaptada al medio argentino. Dado el tamaño de la muestra, para realizar el análisis de datos se utilizó la técnica de remuestreo Bootstrap y se calcularon coeficientes de consistencia interna. Los resultados mostraron que la Tarea de Yoni presenta buena consistencia interna (alfa de Cronbach: .896) y en su dimensión cognitiva y afectiva presenta correlaciones moderadas con el Test de las Miradas. Asimismo, al interior de la prueba se observan correlaciones altas entre las dimensiones cognitivas y afectivas. Este patrón se sostiene cuando se realiza el Bootstrap, lo que permite considerar que ambas tareas valoran procesos similares. El trabajo pretendió realizar una primera aproximación de análisis al interior de la Tarea de Yoni, ya que es una de las pocas pruebas que intenta indagar ambas dimensiones de la teoría de la mente en la misma tarea utilizando baja carga verbal.

To interact in the social world, people make use of processes that contribute to understand relevant aspects and key indicators to interact effectively. These processes are framed within the construct of social cognition that integrates different processes within which the theory of mind is included. The theory of mind (ToM) is the competence of attributing minds to others and predicting and understanding their behaviors based on mental entities such as beliefs, desires and intentions. This process is made up of two aspects, one cognitive and the other affective or emotional. Cognitive ToM refers to the ability to make inferences about the desires, beliefs and intentions of other people, while affective ToM is related to the ability to infer the emotions of others. Taking this characteristic of dimensionality into account, researchers created a task called Yoni Task that attempts to assess both aspects of ToM with the use of mainly visuospatial stimuli administered to children, adolescents and adults. The aim of this study was to carry out linguistic adaptations and systematize the Yoni Task in an application by analyzing its psychometric properties in a pilot sample in order to contribute to the validation of the Yoni Task in Argentine context and assess different aspects of ToM in a systematic way and with low incidence of other cognitive processes. The tool was administered in a pilot test to 33 young adults between 20 and 40 years old, using a computerized version of the Yoni Task adapted to Argentine environment. To perform the data analysis given the size of the sample, the resampling technique called Bootstrap with simulation of 1000 cases was used. This technique allows, by generating a large number of random samples considering the real data available, to estimate the real distribution of the data and not a theoretical distribution based on assumptions that must be met. This method has been used in psychology and education but is not as widely used as it should be in these areas of social and human sciences because the data do not usually meet the parameters necessary to use parametric statistical tests. The reliability analysis showed a score of Cronbach´s alpha of.896 on a total of 98 items, which describes a good internal consistency, and no variations were found if items were eliminated. The data show that Yoni Task in its Spanish version presents moderate correlations with the Eyes Test in both dimensions (cognitive and affective). Likewise, within the test, high correlations are observed between the cognitive and affective dimensions. This pattern is sustained when the Bootstrap is performed, considering that both tasks value similar processes (theory of mind). With regard to the computerization of the task and its implementation in the developed application, it can be anticipated that its use is simple and simple to administer by the evaluator. On the other hand, from the perspective of those evaluated, it does not generate fatigue and is simple to use; and although some users argued that at first the task seems simple and becomes more complex, requiring more attentional effort, they note that this is a product of the task itself and not of its computerization. It is important to highlight the importance of designing tasks that measure cognitive processes in a simple and systematic way, creating a bridge between psychology and the use of technologies, allowing greater accuracy in the measurement of processes from friendly environments for the person being studied evaluated. The systematization of an analogue test and the development of an application do not introduce defects in the methodology or affect unexpected results.