Randy Wood

Development and psychometric properties of the Children's Assertive Behavior Scale

The purpose of this paper is to present the psychometric properties and individual items comprising the Childrens Assertive Behavior Scale (CABS). The CABS is a behaviorally designed self-report instrument for children which measures general and specific social skills and covers many socially relevant situations which are problematic for children. Acceptable psychometric properties of the 27-item test were obtained in several independent investigations across both geographical regions and grade levels. The CABS showed significant concurrent validity with peer, parent, and teacher measures of social competency. The CABS also discriminated trained versus untrained children participating in social skills versus a placebo discussion group. The instrument is presented, along with recommendations for future applications and research.

Social Skills and Child Development

The development of social skills in children is receiving an enormous amount of clinical and research attention. Indeed, over 75% of all scientific articles in this area have appeared within the last decade (Michelson & Wood, 1980). The reasons for this sudden growth of interest in children’s social skills can be traced to several factors. First, retrospective investigations have consistently found strong relationships between social competence in childhood and subsequent social, academic, and psychological functioning. Second, although academic institutions have been considered to be major socializing agents for children, few if any social skills training programs have been formally instituted. However, educators have begun to recognize the critical importance of social skills and interpersonal behaviors, which have been found to be requisite for successful life adaptation. Thus, there has been an increased demand for more systematic and effective strategies for the implementation of social skills training programs with children. Third, in schools, children evince a wide variety of unpleasant and maladaptive behaviors. These behaviors are not only aversive to adults in the child’s environment but also have a negative effect on the development of rewarding peer relationships and academic performance. Recognition of these factors has led to the exploration of effective remedial and preventive strategies, among which social skills training is regarded as a viable and potent approach.

Assessment of Social Skills

Assessment procedures that evaluate the effectiveness of training are important components of any social skills training program. Unfortunately, many social skills programs do not utilize an empirically based and comprehensive framework with which to assess their efficacy and, therefore, it is not known whether social behaviors were modified for the better. Furthermore, several evaluation strategies are deficient in identifying specific social skill deficits and excesses. Thus, several theoretical, methodological, and clinical issues pertaining to the assessment of children’s social skills require further elaboration. The present chapter describes the functional purposes of assessment and provides a substantive review of assessment techniques and strategies along with their advantages and limitations.

Social Skills Training Modules

When we speak of effective social skills, we are referring to repertoires of social behaviors that, when used in social interaction, tend to evoke positive reinforcement and generally result in positive outcomes. Acquisition of social skills prepares an individual for competent and effective participation in diverse aspects of human interaction. Thus, social skills training is, in essence, a program designed to teach and enhance communication and interpersonal skills, both implicit and explicit.

Overview—Training Modules

The subsequent materials deal exclusively with the effective implementation of the social skills training program. Training methods have been specifically structured to address the needs and communication styles of children. Of course, children’s individual social abilities and skill levels will vary. Therefore, numerous examples have been provided in the materials that follow to satisfy a wide variety of children’s needs and abilities. Trainers are also encouraged to devise additional examples and practice scenarios that might be particularly relevant for problematic social situations or deficient skill areas that are not specifically covered in this volume.

Clinical and Logistical Issues in Social Skills Training with Children

As previously mentioned, social skills training programs for children focus on two primary areas: the remediation of specific social skills deficits and the development and refinement of normative social abilities as a preventive measure. In both instances several issues can arise related to the design, implementation, and ramification of the type of intervention. Clinicians, teachers, and childcare workers involved in social skills training with children, typically report that they encounter occasional clinical and logistical problems which might hinder the effectiveness of the program. In this chapter, therefore, we address the more common problem areas so as to provide a basic troubleshooting guide for social skills trainers.

Social Skills Training Methods

A variety of training procedures have been used to develop social skills in children. The common goal of the alternative methods is to train specific behaviors related to social interaction. The skills that are trained vary as a function of the characteristics of the child, including the child’s specific problems, age, and social situations. Training has been applied to children with diverse target problems, including social isolation, lack of assertiveness, and aggressive behavior.