Conclusions and Future Directions

Abstract This concluding chapter identifies areas of research where there is compelling evidence for language as a mechanism that contributes to theory of mind (ToM) development. The chapter also identifies major themes within the large body of research in the field. We discuss how those themes compel important avenues for future research that will further our understanding of the role language plays in ToM. There is a particular emphasis in the chapter on the need for research and theory that will (a) generalize the body of knowledge in the field to applied settings and new populations and (b) specify the nature of causal relationships between language and ToM as they develop.