Abstract
<jats:p>Measuring Theory of Mind in Children through Parent Assessment with the Theory of Mind Inventory – Slovenian Version (ToMI-2SI) Theory of mind is defined as the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others, and to predict and understand behaviour based on those mental states. This study focused on a parent- or caregiver-based approach to measuring theory of mind, where adults infer a child’s thoughts and emotions from observations of their behaviour and interactions. Parents of 279 children completed the Theory of Mind Inventory (ToMI-2SI; Hutchins et al., 2016a; Hutchins et al., submitted), and 132 of these children were additionally assessed with tasks from the Theory of Mind Task Battery (ToMTB-SI; Hutchins & Prelock, 2014; Hutchins et al., 2020). The sample consisted of preschool-aged children, with a mean age of 4.65 years (SD = 0.95). The ToMI-2SI was translated and adapted for the Slovenian population, and its psychometric properties—reliability, construct validity, and concurrent validity—were examined. Factor analysis supported the division of items into three subscales (early, basic, and advanced), consistent with the expected structure. A one-factor solution also proved to be psychometrically sound. Overall, the findings suggest that theory of mind can be reliably and validly assessed through parent reports, and that the ToMI-2SI is a suitable instrument for measuring theory of mind in the Slovenian population. Correlations with selected demographic variables are also presented. Finally, the study highlights how the ToMI-2SI opens possibilities for developing personalized educational approaches, particularly when combined with artificial intelligence tools. Keywords: theory of mind, questionnaire, preschool children, parents, validation</jats:p>