The “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” Test (RMET)

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Until now there has not been a validated measure of theory of mind available in the Thai language. Our goal in this study was to assess the validity and reliability of our Thai-language translation of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (the "Eyes Test"). METHODS We gave our Thai version of the Eyes Test to 70 participants: 30 people with schizophrenia and 40 normal controls. We also gave Thai versions of the Faces Test and the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination to assess convergent validity. RESULTS For known groups validity, the controls scored significantly higher than the participants with schizophrenia on the Eyes Test: 24.6 (standard deviation=3.9) versus 18.2 (standard deviation=4.1), P<0.001. The Eyes Test correlated with the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (r=0.68, P<0.001) and the Faces Test (r=0.51, P<0.001). Internal consistency by the Cronbach alpha for the Eyes Test was 0.7, and test-retest reliability by intraclass correlation was 0.92 (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The Thai version of the Eyes Test is a valid and reliable measurement that can be used in clinical practice and in future investigations of theory of mind in neurologic and psychiatric disorders.