This study examined the effects of culturally relevant/responsive, computer-based social skills instruction on the social skill acquisition and generalization of 6 urban African American sixth graders with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). A multiple-probe across participants design was used to evaluate the effects of the social skills…

An 18-year-old youth placed in a residential state mental health facility because of social skills deficits participated in treatment over a 48-day period in which the student was observed in four settings. Results suggest that the skills taught--greetings and thanking behavior--were maintained and generalized to three natural settings. (Author/CL)

Didactic instruction and role play training appeared to produce generalized increases in vocationally oriented social skills for four emotionally disturbed adolescents in a residential program. (CL)

Among results of the research review on strategies to enhance social skills of behaviorally disordered students were that a conceptual base for research is lacking, that training priorities have not been matched to learner needs, and that investigators have often failed to evaluate generalization of effects to nontraining settings. (Author/DB)

The addition of self-monitoring to a social skill training program involving verbal training and role playing resulted in rapid generalization of appropriate responses to a supervision's instructions by behaviorally disordered adolescents in vocational classes. (Author/CL)

The article presents a historical overview of social interaction research focusing on handicapped children which was conducted at George Peabody College (Vanderbilt University). Topics discussed include defining reciprocal interaction, refining the definition of social interaction, research on generalization, and social integration with…

Three children with autism from a self-contained elementary special education class participated in daily free-play sessions with 15 nondisabled peers, who were sequentially individually trained in appropriate interaction skills. Generalized interactions between students with autism and nontrained peers began in all three groups after the…

This paper identifies factors possibly influencing long-term effectiveness of social skills training with students having emotional or behavioral disorders. These include: lack of a sound conceptual framework, questionable social validity of target skills, controversies surrounding the nature of social skills deficits, imprecise assessment…

With two autistic boys as subjects, a teacher prompt and praise procedure was applied sequentially across dyads composed of a subject and a nonhandicapped peer (n=8, aged 11-12). Following social interaction training with several nonhandicapped peers, one subject showed across-peer and across-setting generalization, while the second subject did…

Analyzes the generalization failures of social-skills instruction, outlines some critical differences between instruction in social- and academic-skills areas, and suggests the depth of analysis, instruction, and facilitation that will be required to achieve generalization of social skills. The modification of environments to support behavior is…

The concept of entrapment, viewed as a conceptual framework for social interaction skills training, is a behavioral process whereby newly acquired social responses come under the control of naturally occurring reinforcers, usually the social behavior of peers. Selection of target behaviors and intervention procedures to promote entrapment are…

Reviews past and present conceptualizations and summarized narrative and meta-analytic reviews of social skills training (SST) outcome studies. Overall, modest effect sizes are reported in the meta-analytic literature, suggesting that SST is a relatively weak intervention strategy. Recommendations for rebuilding SST are provided. (Author/CR)

Teaching social skills to students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) has become an accepted practice. Literally hundreds of social skills training (SST) efficacy studies for students with EBD appear in the literature. As a result, many authors have published both narrative and meta-analytic reviews of the literature. Reviews have…

The effects of social skill training on social behavior was assessed, using a structured learning model with 3 children with behavioral disorders, ages 7-14. Results showed an increase in frequency for most skill areas, an inverse relationship across negative behaviors, maintenance over time, and moderate levels of generalization to nontreatment…

This special issue presents seven papers describing programs for children with behavioral disorders. Among topics addressed are use of role playing to foster social skills, truancy intervention, and cooperative efforts by mental health agencies and public schools. (CL)