How does Theory of Mind (ToM) affect Chinese reading of children with dyslexia? The moderation effect of picture book reading

This study investigated Theory of Mind (ToM) in Chinese children with and without dyslexia and examined the moderating effect of early picture book reading experience on the relationship between ToM and reading comprehension. Grounded in the Landscape Model of Reading, we compared ToM between groups and explored how early literacy experiences influence reading comprehension. In total, 86 Chinese children, including 44 with dyslexia and 42 typically developing, were recruited for this study. Results revealed that typically developing children outperformed those with dyslexia in ToM tasks (η²_p = 0.86). Early picture book reading experience significantly moderated the relationship between ToM and reading comprehension for children with dyslexia (β = 0.03, p < 0.05), but not for typically developing children. Notably, the moderating effect of picture book reading was significant only for children with dyslexia who had richer early literacy experiences. On the contrary, this moderation effect was not observed in typically developing children. The study contributes to our understanding of the universal and language-specific factors influencing reading development and suggests targeted interventions for children with dyslexia in Chinese-speaking populations. Copyright © 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.