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Guide
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Social Skills Training Program for Pre-Adolescent Girls with Few Friends
OVERVIEW
The social skills training program was designed to use social skills training and interpersonal problem solving methods to improve the social skills of 5th and 6th grade girls who were selected by their teachers as having few friends. Treatment sessions took place over the course of 3.5 weeks. Sessions consisted of a praise phase, interpersonal problem solving skills, and an activity phase. By the end of the program, significant improvements were found among the girls who participated in the social skills training program compared with the 21 girls in the control group. Observational data indicate that participants spent less time alone, more time interacting in conversation, and more time interacting with others compared with girls with few friends who had not participated in the program. No impacts were found on teacher ratings using the Social Skills Rating System.
The social skills training program used interpersonal problem-solving skills and praise strategies in a group treatment setting to improve the social skills of girls with few friends. The aim of the social skills training program was to improve general social skills, increase peer acceptance, and decrease feelings of loneliness among girls with few friends. Treatment and training were carried out by one therapist and two therapist assistants with five student participants per session. Each treatment session had 3 phases: a praise phase, an interpersonal problem solving phase, and an activity phase.
During the praise phase, students were trained to behave in ways designed to improve the social skills of the other students in the group. The therapist and assistants explained how praise can be used to encourage the behavior of others. First, the therapist assistants modeled appropriate use of praise. Then the therapist recognized students who had praised others between group meetings. Two requirements in the praising exercise were that a girl be praised for her improved behavior and that the praised girl thank whoever praised her. Each student received and gave praise during each session.
During the interpersonal problem solving phase, specific social problems were introduced by the therapist and solved using a 5-step problem solving strategy, which included: 1) problem identification, 2) goal identification, 3) generation of alternatives, 4) selection of best alternative, and 5) a plan to implement the selected solution. The final activity phase included a fun activity, such as making friendship bracelets or playing board games.
Evaluated population: Forty 5th and 6th graders were recruited, matched on age, and randomly assigned to a control group (n=21) or a treatment group (n=19).
Approach: Teachers at select elementary schools located in the southeastern United States were asked to recruit girls who they felt had few friends. Treatment was implemented after school, twice a week.
The Social Skills Rating System (SSRS), a 57-item teacher report scale, was used to asses social skills and their importance in a classroom (cornbach’s alpha= .90; r = 8.5). Teachers of participants completed the SSRS at pretest and posttest.
Pre-test and post-test observations were made during a 30-minute interval while participants played in the school gym. Undergraduate psychology students and two graduate students were trained in observation procedures. Observers were blind to the purpose of the study. Observers identified target behaviors of participants and rated participants by completing observation sheets. During observations, raters scored the occurrence of target behaviors. Target behaviors included: the child engaged in conversation for at least 5 seconds, the child approached another child from a distance of at least 5 feet, another child approached the child from a distance of at least 5 feet and remains within 3 feet for at least 5 seconds, or the child sat alone for at least 5 seconds with no other child within 5 feet.
Results: At posttest, the treatment group spent significantly more time in conversation and initiating interaction with other children than the control group ( t(1,18) = -6.47, p<.05). The amount of time children spent alone, however, was not significantly different for treatment and control groups. There was no significant difference between treatment and control groups for how frequently children were approached by other children and remained within 3 feet for at least 5 seconds. Pre-test and Post-test SSRS scores showed no significant changes in social skills between groups observed in the classroom.
Authors note that this study was limited by only performing 6 treatment sessions over a short period of time (3.5 weeks). Additionally, no follow-up assessments were conducted to determine intermediate and long term effects.
Berner, M.L., Fee, V.E., Turner, A.D. (2001). A Multi-Component Social Skills Training Program for Pre-Adolescent Girls with Few Friends. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 23(2), 1-19.
Gresham, F.M., & Elliot, S.E. (1988). Social Skills Rating System. Circle Pines: American Guidance Services.
Program categorized in this guide according to the following:
Evaluated participant ages: 5th and 6th grade girls, age 10-12
Program components: Counseling/therapy, School-based
Measured outcomes: social skills
Program information last updated 02/17/06.
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© Child Trends 2004 |