MASC

Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC)

Type of Assessment

• ( ) Self Assessment

• ( ) Self-report measures of empathy

• ( ) Third party Assessment

• ( x ) Reading emotions - like empathy in eyes test.

• ( ) Biological

  • ( ) Oxytocin level

  • ( ) fMRI

  • ( ) Skin conductance

  • ( ) Hearth rate

Abstract

In the present study we introduce a sensitive video-based test for the evaluation of subtle mindreading difficulties: the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC). This new mindreading tool involves watching a short film and answering questions referring to the actors’ mental states. A group of adults with Asperger syndrome (n = 19) and well-matched control subjects (n = 20) were administered the MASC and three other mindreading tools as part of a broader neuropsychological testing session. Compared to control subjects, Asperger individuals exhibited marked and selective difficulties in social cognition. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis for the mindreading tests identified the MASC as discriminating the diagnostic groups most accurately. Issues pertaining to the multidimensionality of the social cognition construct are discussed.

Source

Dziobek, Isabel; Fleck, Stefan; Kalbe, Elke; Rogers, Kimberley; Hassenstab, Jason; Brand, Matthias et al. (2006): Introducing MASC. A Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition. In: J Autism Dev Disord 36 (5), S. 623-636. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-006-0107-0

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Usage

The tool seems to be used mainly in clinical settings with people who suffer from mental disorders like Narcisstic Personality Disorder.