Assessment of basic social skills.

Proposes a conceptual framework for defining and assessing basic social skills derived from the attempts of social personality psychologists to measure individual differences in nonverbal communication skills. Preliminary testing resulted in the development of a 105-item, pencil-and-paper measure of 7 basic dimensions of social skills, the Social Skills Inventory (SSI). In a series of validation studies using 149 undergraduate students, the SSI demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity in relation to other measures of nonverbal social skill and traditional personality scales (e.g., the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire [16PF], the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale). Scores on the SSI also predicted some social group memberships, typical social behaviors, and the depth of social networks. Evidence suggests that the SSI could prove to be a valuable tool for research in personality and social psychology and for work in applied settings. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of social skills training groups and social skills bibliotherapy with psychiatric patients.

The effectiveness of a systematic social skills group training program was compared to both a bibliotherapy program group and a typical hospital treatment control group (10 18–56 yr old patients per group). Assessment instruments included self-report (Rathus Assertiveness Schedule), observational, and in vivo measures. Results on the observational measure show that the skills training group improved significantly more than the control group, and this difference was maintained at follow-up. The skills group also showed superior improvement on the self-report measure. Results fail to demonstrate the efficacy of bibliotherapy. Findings concerning generalization of social skills group treatment effectiveness were encouraging in that 2 of 3 measures employed to test for generalization showed significant effects. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contextual considerations in social skills instruction.

Comments on the review of social-skills training programs by G. J. DuPaul and T. L. Eckert (see record 1995-07692-001). It is suggested that a contextual analysis of social behavior has implications for teaching social skills: that students may learn social skills best in the company of people with whom they would typically establish relationships. A need is seen for further development that considers a broader perspective on influential environment and contextual variables related to social-skills acquisition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maintenance of specific counseling skills over time.

Conducted naturalistic observations of the frequency with which 7 female and 6 male counseling trainees used specifically trained counseling responses across time. Frequency measures were based on the 1st 30 min of audiotaped interviews with clients, taken at the end of prepracticum, during practicum, and at least 3 mo after training. Seven response categories were identified as trained in prepracticum: goal setting, confrontation, reflection/restatement, interpretation/summary, structuring, probe, and minimal verbal. Two more categories arose from the data: self-disclosure and information giving. A 10th category, "other," served for otherwise unclassifiable responses. Responses were classified by 3 trained raters working independently. Data indicate that males make more responses overall than females. All responses occurred in the trainees' repertoire to some degree, but confrontation and goal setting were used with decreasing frequency, and probes increased across trials. Effects of supervisory expectations, as well as the tendency to internal consistency for a single individual across trials, are noted, and training of specific skills is affirmed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

SOCIAL: An integrative framework for the development of social skills.

Despite significant advances in the field of social neuroscience, much remains to be understood regarding the development and maintenance of social skills across the life span. Few comprehensive models exist that integrate multidisciplinary perspectives and explain the multitude of factors that influence the emergence and expression of social skills. Here, a developmental biopsychosocial model (SOCIAL) is offered that incorporates the biological underpinnings and socio-cognitive skills that underlie social function (attention/executive function, communication, socio-emotional skills), as well as the internal and external (environmental) factors that mediate these skills. The components of the model are discussed in the context of the social brain network and are supported by evidence from 3 conditions known to affect social functioning (autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, and traumatic brain injury). This integrative model is intended to provide a theoretical structure for understanding the origins of social dysfunction and the factors that influence the emergence of social skills through childhood and adolescence in both healthy and clinical populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individualizing social skills training for behavior-disordered children.

Individualized social skills training was compared with nonindividualized social skills training and wait-list control conditions. Participants were 35 behavior-disordered children at a treatment center. Role-play tests indicated that children in both the individualized and nonindividualized conditions mastered the content of the training sessions. Observations of recess play indicated that the increase in cooperative play after treatment was significantly higher for the individualized training group. There were no significant differences in observed aggression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Methods of skill selection in social skills training: A review.

32 social skills training studies utilizing a social learning or social-cognitive approach and published between 1980 and 1984 were reviewed with respect to methods used to select skills targeted for training. Operational definitions of social skills selection methods were used to classify studies on 2 dimensions—type of social validity and degree of individualization. A gap between recommended methods for selecting skills for inclusion in social skills training programs and actual research practices was found. Of the 32 studies reviewed, 18 reported no prior empirical evidence that the targeted skills were socially valid and 20 did not report an attempt to verify that trainees were deficient in the targeted skills prior to treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive-relaxation and social skills treatments of anger: A year later.

The present study provides a 12-month follow-up of a study by Deffenbacher, Story, Stark, Hogg, and Brandon (1987) that compared cognitive-relaxation and social skills training interventions for general anger reduction in college students. After 1 year both cognitive-relaxation and social skills subjects reported less general anger, personal-situational anger, anger-related psychophysiological reactivity, and trait anxiety than untreated controls. These findings suggested longterm maintenance of anger reduction and a generalization to anxiety that was not found posttreatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral training of social skills in shy males.

31 college males who had reported themselves unable to interact with women in specific social situations were asked to record every interaction for 1 wk. Following this, a series of behavioral tests was given. When compared to a group of confident Ss, shy Ss interacted with fewer women, in fewer situations, and for less time outside of the laboratory. In laboratory test situations shy Ss rated themselves and were rated by Os as being more anxious. Pulse rate was monitored during the behavioral testing. Confident Ss had significantly less pulse rate change during the test situations. After pretesting, shy Ss were randomly assigned to either an assessment control group or an analogue treatment group, with treatment consisting of 3 sessions of behavior rehearsal, modeling, and coaching. On posttesting, Ss who had received treatment showed less physiological responsivity to the testing stimuli, reported less anxiety, and were rated as being more skillful in the test situations. Behavioral diaries revealed that following treatment Ss who received training changed more than control Ss on several measures of frequency and duration of interactions with women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validity of social skills measures for assessing social competence in low-status children: A multivariate investigation.

Investigated the validity of the 3 types of measures that are frequently used to measure social competence in children. Data were collected on 40 3rd- and 4th-grade low-sociometric-status Ss using 2 sociometric rating scales, 3 peer nomination measures, and 4 categories of behavioral observations. All of the measures were collected 3 times. Findings support previous claims that rating-scale measures and nomination measures assess different dimensions of sociometric status. Behavioral measures emerged as a separate factor suggesting that these measures assess a dimension of social competence that is independent from popularity or peer acceptance. (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Schoolwide social skills training: Providing preventive services to students at-risk.

Describes a schoolwide social skills assessment and training model including a 2-gate student identification procedure (i.e., in-class social skills training for all students and small group intensive training for at-risk target students). The model is directed at reducing future serious problems by addressing identified difficulties early (i.e., through secondary prevention procedures). Specific and model objectives are to (1) use a comprehensive, multigate procedure to identify students at risk; (2) implement schoolwide training procedures to teach a number of important prosocial skills identified by teachers; (3) treat a subgroup of target Ss considered at highest risk for developing pervasive social problems; and (4) implement procedures to encourage the transfer and generalization of all students' skills across untrained stimuli, settings, and situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training psychiatric nursing staff in social approval skills.

18 psychiatric nursing staff members (mean age 32 yrs) participated in an experimental training study to test the effectiveness of a brief microtraining instructional format against a traditional discussion training format. Results indicate that both microtraining and discussion treatments produced improved in-vivo performance of verbal and nonverbal social-approval skills, but microtraining treatment resulted in significantly greater in-vivo use of both verbal and nonverbal social-approval skills at posttreatment and a 5-wk follow-up. No differences in skill comprehension were evident across the 2 training treatments. (French abstract) (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social skills, social outcomes, and cognitive features of childhood social phobia.

Social skills, social outcomes, self-talk, outcome expectancies, and self-evaluation of performance during social-evaluative tasks were examined with 27 clinically diagnosed social phobic children ages 7–14 and a matched nonclinical group. Results showed that, compared with their nonanxious peers, social phobic children demonstrated lower expected performance and a higher level of negative self-talk on social-evaluative tasks. In addition, social phobic children showed social skills deficits as assessed by self- and parent report, an assertiveness questionnaire, and direct behavioral observation. Furthermore, compared with the control group, social phobic children were rated by themselves and others as significantly less socially competent with peers and were found to be less likely to receive positive outcomes from peers during behavioral observation. Implications for the assessment and treatment of childhood social phobia are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social skills and the stress-protective role of social support.

Conducted cross-sectional analyses of data collected from 609 15–27 yr old incoming college freshmen to determine (a) whether the perceived availability of social support protects persons from stress-induced depressive affect; (b) whether social competence, social anxiety, and self-disclosure are responsible for the stress-protective effect of perceived social support; and (c) whether these social skill measures discriminate among persons for whom support will help, hinder, or be ineffective in the face of stress. Prospective analyses based on the original testing (beginning of school year) and 11- and 22-wk follow-ups of a randomly selected subsample (130 and 93 Ss in 1st and 2nd follow-ups, respectively) were used to determine how the same social skill factors influence the development and maintenance of support perceptions and of friendships. Evidence is provided for a stress-buffering role of the perceived availability of social support. The stress-buffering effect is unaffected by controls for the possible stress-protective influences of social anxiety, social competence, and self-disclosure. Although these social skill factors do not discriminate among persons for whom support will help, hinder, or be ineffective, they are prospectively predictive of the development of both social support and friendship formation. These prospective relations between social skills and the development of perceived availability of social support are only partly mediated by number of friends. (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dimensions of marital conflict and children's social problem-solving skills.

Marital conflict has been shown to be negatively associated with child functioning. This study examined the relationships of negative and positive aspects of marital conflict and frequency of conflict with children's social problem-solving skills, as measured by effectiveness of alternative solutions. Mothers, fathers, and children reported on marital conflict. Mothers' higher negative conflict characteristics, in the context of greater frequency of conflict, and less frequent positive conflict characteristics, in the context of lower frequency of conflict, were significantly associated with their children's less effective social problem-solving solutions. For fathers, none of the negative but one of the positive conflict characteristics was significantly associated with their children's more effective social problem-solving solutions, regardless of the frequency of marital conflict. Children's perceptions of their parents' conflict were not significant predictors of their social problem-solving skills. Findings are interpreted in the framework of children's modeling aggressive conflict. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pretesting effects in the evaluation of social skills training.

Evaluated the effects of pretesting in conjunction with a group social skills training program, using a wide variety of outcome measures. Half of the 46 undergraduate Ss were self-referred, while the other half were volunteers from an introductory psychology class. A Solomon 4-groups design was used to evaluate the effects of pretesting, the skills training program, and their interaction. Strong evidence of pretesting effects was found for measures associated with a behavioral forced interaction task. Implications of the results for selection of outcome measures are discussed. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Height perception: A function of social distance.

Investigated the effects of (a) status-related ethnic membership, and (b) the prejudice of the O on height perception. Ss were 126 undergraduates who were shown slides of various objects and people in a counter-balanced fashion. It was found that height-equated individuals rated high on the Bogardus Social Distance Scale were perceived as taller than height-equated individuals rated low on the Bogardus Social Distance Scale. The implications of these findings are discussed. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Concomitants of social support: Social skills, physical attractiveness, and gender.

Investigated the naturally occurring relations among self-reported social support and social skills, on the one hand, and behavioral measures and rated physical attractiveness on the other, using 84 male and 84 female undergraduates who were selected on the basis of high- and low-number scores on the Social Support Questionnaire. Ss were videotaped in 2 dyadic situations with a same-sex partner. Ss also completed the UCLA Loneliness Questionnaire, a social competence questionnaire, a story completion task, and self and partner evaluations. The videotaped behavior was rated qualitatively and quantitatively. Results show significant differences in the social skills of Ss who were high and low in social support; Ss high in social support were more favorably evaluated. Women also were found to be significantly more socially skilled and were rated as being more physically attractive than men. The various self-report and behavioral measures of social skills were significantly interrelated. Results indicate the dimensions of social support by demonstrating the relation between social support and social skills. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived social support, social skills, and quality of relationships in bulimic women.

The impaired relationship between bulimics and their environment may be an important factor in the onset and perpetuation of bulimia. This study explored specific aspects of the bulimic's social network and interpersonal relationships as well as individual difference variables that might mediate her ability to support or perceive this as adequate. Ss were 21 bulimic women and 21 control Ss who completed self-report measures assessing perceived social support, the quality of relationships, social skills, and psychopathology. Bulimics reported less perceived support from friends and family, more negative interactions and conflict, and less social competence. Differences in negative interactions remained significant after controlling for overall psychopathology, and level of conflict was an important predictor of group membership. In addition, bulimics were rated as less socially effective by observers unaware of their group membership. Results highlight the need for further investigation of the quality and type of interactions in bulimic women's lives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)