Same- and cross-sex friends: Implications for interaction and social skills

Sex cleavages in toddler peer groups were investigated in two studies. In the first study, playmate preferences and initiations and responses to friends were examined. Three types of initiations and their responses were examined during the free play of 46 toddlers in day care centers. A preference for same-sex playmates was strongest in the oldest girls. Boys tended to ignore or refuse girls' initiations when the initiations took the form of specific requests to play a game compared with a more general approach. Friendships tended to be made with members of the same sex. However, children having same- and opposite-sex friends were less likely to initiate and respond to friends on the basis of sex. Children with fewer same-sex preferences initiated more games.In the second study, cross-sex friendships in 329 early toddlers, late toddlers, and preschool children were examined. Some children in all age groups had cross-sex friends, but the number decreased with age. Children with cross-sex friends appeared more socially skilled than children without cross-sex friends.     

A contextual approach to the assessment of social skills: Identifying meaningful behaviors for social competence

An exploratory study was conducted which assessed behaviors that characterize social competence in the second and fifth grades. A contextual approach was used to gather information from second‐ and fifth‐grade children and their parents and teachers regarding the behaviors they perceived to be important for getting along well with peers. Data were gathered from children through structured interviews with the researcher. Parents and teachers provided information through open‐ended paper‐pencil surveys. Qualitative methodology was used to analyze the data in this study. Specifically, a three‐stage coding process derived from grounded theory was utilized (A. Strauss & J. Corbin, 1998). Triangulation, a technique common to qualitative research whereby multiple sources are used to verify themes identified from data, also was used throughout the coding process to enhance standards of rigor (J.W. Creswell, 1998). Results indicated substantial overlap among the types of behaviors reported by children, parents, and teachers in both grades. Likewise, a number of noteworthy similarities and differences were found among second‐ and fifth‐grade sources. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for social skills assessment and intervention. Limitations and directions for future research also are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 173–187, 2005.     

Researching assessment as social practice: Implications for research methodology

Recent educational journals on both sides of the Atlantic have seen a resurgence of debate about the nature of educational research. As a contribution to these debates, this paper draws on theoretical and methodological ‘thinking tools’ of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. Specifically, the paper explores what Jenkins [Jenkins, R. (2002). Pierre Bourdieu. London: Routledge and Falmer] refers to as Bourdieu's “reflexive epistemological pluralism” and its implications for research into higher education, with a particular focus on assessment as social practice. This particular theoretical and methodological understanding is used to critically reflect on a study conducted in 2005 on the impact of a policy on anonymous examination marking which was implemented at the University of Cape Town in 2004. The study collected both quantitative data of student examination performance pre- and post-policy implementation, as well as interviews with course conveners. The paper argues that when viewed interdependently the data offers insight into some of the “principles of vision and division” [Bourdieu, P. (1996). The state nobility: Elite schools in the field of power. Cambridge: Polity Press] at work in assessors’ judgment-making process. The assessors’ deliberations expose ideological tensions between the dual challenges of equity and excellence in the context of a historically white liberal university under transformation.     

Self‐report on the social skills rating system: Analysis of reliability and validity for an elementary sample

The Social Skills Rating System (SSRS; F.M. Gresham & S.N. Elliott, 1990) is a norm‐referenced measure of students' social and problem behaviors. Since its release, much of the published reliability and validity evidence for the SSRS has focused primarily on the Teacher Report Form. The purpose of this study was to explore reliability and validity evidence of scores on the SSRS‐Student Elementary Form (SSRS‐SEF) for children in Grades 3 to 5. Findings provided support for the use of Total scale as a measure of student social behavior for initial screening purposes; however, evidence for the subscales was not as strong as predicted. Directions for future research regarding reliability and validity of scores from the SSRS‐SEF are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 345–354, 2005.     

Autonomy and social skills: a group-based programme with adolescents with learning difficulties for the enhancement of personal autonomy and social skills

A group-based educational programme on life skills was implemented with eleven participants with moderate learning difficulties, aged 17–18 years, for nine months. The aim of the programme was to enhance autonomy by means of group cohesion and the teaching of social skills. Teaching was based on the internalisation cycle model. The analysis of group processes was completed by means of content analysis of the teacher's detailed reports. Students' outcomes were computed on three questionnaires that were administered at the beginning and end of the programme: the Quality of Life questionnaire ( Schalock & Keith, 1993 ), The Progress Assessment Charts of Social Development ( Gunzburg, 1972 ), and the Self-Concept scale (Fitts,1964). Significant changes occurred in the area of social integration; at the end participants expressed a more positive feeling concerning friends. Significant improvements occurred in nearly all areas of social skills: self-help, socialisation, communication and occupation. No changes occurred in the self-concept; it was high and positive at the beginning and at the end the programme. The findings confirm the efficacy of a group-based educational programme with participants with learning difficulties.     

Parenting behaviors and preschool children's social and emotional skills: A question of the consequential validity of traditional parenting constructs for low-income African Americans

Few researchers have questioned the validity of traditional parenting dimensions (based largely on Baumrind's [Baumrind, D. (1967). Child care practices anteceding three patterns of preschool behavior. Genetic Psychology Monographs, 75, 43–88; Baumrind, D. (1971). Current patterns of parental authority. Developmental Psychology, 4, 1–103] work) with economically and ethnically diverse groups, despite the fact that evidence for the utility of these dimensions for predicting child and youth outcomes is equivocal. In this paper, we report on the findings from two independent studies by which we examined the relationship of traditional parenting constructs to children's social–emotional competencies among low-income, urban-residing African American preschool families with measures validated specifically for use with this population. In Study 1, 184 children and their families participated, whereas 210 children and their families participated in Study 2. Contrary to our hypotheses, across these two studies, findings failed to indicate significant relationships between constructs of parenting and children's social and emotional skills. Findings call into question the consequential validity of these constructs for this group and highlight inconsistencies among the larger body of parenting work. Implications for future theory-building and parenting research are discussed.     

Convergent validity of group tests of cognitive development

This study was designed to investigate the convergent validity of individual clinical task interviews as presented by Piaget and Inhelder paired with three widely used group tests of cognitive development. These tests are designed to assess the acquisition of cognitive abilities. The three group test raw scores paired with summed raw scores on four concrete-formal task interviews yielded the following Pearson product-moment correlations: Reasoning Test (Ankney and Joyce), 0.43; Logical Reasoning Test (Burney), 0.61; Classroom Test of Formal Operations (Lawson), 0.37. The raw data was then ranked into cognitive level groups and presented on contingency tables. The following contingency coefficients were determined: Logical Reasoning Test, 0.52; Logical Reasoning Test (adjusted), 0.61; Classroom Test of Formal Operations, 0.50. This study reflects that the Reasoning Test tends to indicate lower cognitive levels of subjects when paired with summed scores on the clinical task interviews, whereas the Logical Reasoning Test and the Classroom Test of Formal Operations tend to indicate higher cognitive levels of subjects when paired with summed scores on the clinical task interviews. In each case the correlations do not appear to be sufficiently strong to warrant selection or categorization of an individual student based on his/her test performance.     

Convergent and concurrent validity of two measures of phonological processing

The purposes of this study were to determine the degree to which two measures of phonological awareness/ability (Test of Phonological Awareness; Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing) correlate with each other and with a measure of reading (Letter‐Word Identification), and to determine which of the individual measures of phonological ability best predict early reading skill in kindergarten children. With one exception, all correlations among measures of phonological awareness/ability were significant. In addition, all correlations among the phonological awareness measures and the reading measure were significant. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the combination of all predictor variables accounted for approximately 51% of the variability in scores on the Woodcock Letter‐Word Identification subtest. The Phonological Awareness and the Rapid Naming composites of the CTOPP were the best predictors of performance on the measures of word identification. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Convergent and discriminant validity of the mental processing scales of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children

Convergent and discriminant validity of the Mental Processing Scales of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) were examined using 51 first-grade children. Convergent validity was assessed using the Reading Recognition and Comprehension subtests of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test. Discriminant validity was assessed using a measure of anxiety/self-esteem, the Child Anxiety Scale, and a measure of hyperactive behavior, the Hyperactivity scale of the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist. Results supported the convergent validity of the K-ABC; correlations with reading achievement were fairly large. The discriminant validity received only partial support. The K-ABC did not correlate with the Child Anxiety Scale, but did show rather large correlations with the measure of hyperactive behavior. Implications for understanding what the K-ABC Mental Processing Scales are measuring are discussed.     

Developmental and gender influences on coping: Implications for skills training

The transition to adulthood for today's youth is a difficult journey filled with risk, rapid change, and seemingly endless choices. Effective coping skills can help youth navigate these challenges. This article explores the impact of gender and developmental level on coping skill acquisition in adolescence. Suggestions for helping youth to develop effective coping strategies are provided from both a prevention and intervention perspective. By helping today's youth develop the necessary strategies to deal with the unavoidable stresses encountered in life, school psychologists and counselors can help to ultimately create adults who have the skills and necessary psychological resources to successfully cope and adapt to life's changes. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Let's play: Teaching social skills

Alex is watching three other boys engage in a super-hero play act. The boys are playing Star Wars, protecting their fort from the Evil Warriors. For the past couple of days, Alex has walked near the same small group of boys and watched intently as the boys play out their drama. He moves close but says nothing.In another corner of the room, Emily and Jessica are playing house. Emily plays the mother and wants Jessica to assume the role of baby. Their play is interrupted by Jessica's refusal to be the baby. While Emily insists, Jessica refuses and soon, the play disintegrates.Steven, a new boy in the classroom, had been introduced to the class earlier in the morning. Now he is wandering from center to center, looking on as others became involved in their free choice of activity. The teacher is busy working with a small group in the science center, and Steven is on his own.Linda M. LeBlanc is Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at Whittier College in Whittier, California.     

A social skills group for children

Abstract

An NHS Trust set up groups to teach social skills to children and adolescents using a cognitive behavioural framework. One group of seven children (five boys and two girls) is described. Parents were invited to a parallel parents' group. Each group lasted for 90 minutes and ran weekly for 6 weeks. Extensive liaison with parents and teachers took place before, during and after the group. Analysis of pre- and postgroup questionnaires sent to parents and teachers indicated improved social functioning, outside the group, for most of the children. Parents valued the dialogue with professionals and often felt supported by them for the first time. Therapists' contact with teachers ensured full knowledge of children's behaviour and the transfer of skills to schools. Cognitive behavioural techniques with children under-going group work require intensive liaison to facilitate generalization of skills learnt.     

Integration of a social skills training: a case study of children with low social skills

This study explores changes in children's social skills after a cognitive-social skills model intervention. The intervention was conducted over a period of 12 weeks within a regular preschool setting. Sixteen children including four considered to have low social skills participated in the study. Data analysis revealed that the four children with low social skills demonstrated changes in social skills through positive play behaviours such as asking positive questions, offering suggestions, initiating play episodes, and sharing play materials, although they had limited ability to maintain play episodes.     

Construct validity of the adjustment scales for children and adolescents and the preschool and kindergarten behavior scales: Convergent and divergent evidence

Construct validity (convergent and divergent) of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA; McDermott, Marston, & Stott, 1993) and the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (PKBS; Merrell, 1994a) is presented. Regular classroom teachers (n = 38) randomly selected 5‐ and 6‐year‐old children (N = 123) and rated them on the ASCA and PKBS in counterbalanced order. Convergent evidence of construct validity was observed for the PKBS Externalizing Problems scale and the ASCA Overactivity syndrome. Divergent evidence of construct validity was provided for the PKBS Externalizing Problems scale and ASCA Underactivity syndrome. Convergent and divergent evidence of construct validity for the PKBS Internalizing Problems scale and ASCA Overactivity and Underactivity syndromes was mixed. Results were identical to those of Canivez and Bordenkircher (2002). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 39: 621–633, 2002.     

Teamwork skills assessment for cooperative learning

Teamwork skills are required at work, but teacher efforts in many countries to track achievement within this context have been hindered by lack of assessment tools and input from students. The Teamwork Skills Inventory relies on peer and self-evaluation to establish accountability, identify competencies, and detect learning needs. Twenty-five items state the criteria students refer to in reporting observations about whether individual members of their cooperative learning group attend to teamwork, seek and share information, communicate with teammates, think critically and creatively, and get along with teammates. Ways to prepare students for authentic assessment and to process anonymous feedback from peers are discussed. A field test of 303 high school students and teachers determined validity and reliability. Students were able to recognize team skills as well as deficits of peers, and gender differences in competencies were acknowledged. A portfolio record of team skills enables teachers across subjects to apply united interventions.