This paper addresses the prevalence and identification of social skills deficits in students with learning disabilities. It begins by discussing the definition of learning disabilities and then reviews literature on the social difficulties of this population. Findings indicate that approximately 75 percent of children with learning disabilities…

This rating scale was developed to yield a measure of peer acceptance and socialization for students in grades 1-6. Each child is asked to consider his classmates in terms of three sets of questions, each set having 20 items. The child responds to the question by circling yes or no or sometimes on the answer sheet. Items are organized around three…

Describes the implementation and supports the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral group counseling game, the Social Skills Game (Berg, 1989) in enhancing social skills, as measured by the Walker-McConnell Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment, of third- to sixth-grade children with learning disabilities. (LKS)

A review of the literature on the socioemotional development and status of hard-of-hearing students in regular classes identifies sources of negative attitudes to which students may be exposed. These include the presence of a hearing aid, requests for clarification, speech impediments, erroneous information in available literature, confusing…

Adolescents' feelings of belongingness were investigated by this study, in which 349 high school students participated. Independent variables for family structure, quality of family life, gender, classification, and length of residency were investigated. The dependent variable was scores from the Psychological Sense of School Membership scale.…

This manual describes the buddy skills training program, which provides teachers with a set of tested strategies designed to facilitate interactions and support the development of friendships between preschoolers with and without disabilities. The training procedures are philosophically based on social exchange theory. To support the concept of…

Social skills training with a 12-year-old mainstreamed trainable mentally handicapped student resulted in improved eye contact, greeting of peers, and use of appropriate voice level. Perceptions of peers changed, but their interaction with the student did not change. (Author/DB)

This article presents a scenario which is a classic example of a student becoming frustrated because her needs are not being met. Unequipped to advocate for herself in a socially acceptable manner, Marcy, a 12-year-old, sixth-grade student diagnosed with an emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD), used the most effective strategy in her…

A perception of limited autonomy in the environment of the low socioeconomic black child has important implications for educators. Firstly, since the educational setting is challenging and often fear-provoking for disadvantaged students, it would seem desirable to reduce the generalized expectancy of powerlessness that is characteristic of many of…

Loneliness is a significant problem than can predispose young children to immediate and long-term negative consequences. This Digest presents an overview of loneliness, with suggestions for practitioners on how they can apply the research in early childhood settings. Children who feel lonely often experience poor peer relationships and feelings of…

High schools organized into schools-within-schools (SWS) have the capacity to create social capital, a sense of trust and connection among teachers and students that can be used in the service of teaching and learning. These differentiated social groupings, or subunits, can influence members' sense of identity during the transition to high school,…

Describes and evaluates a social competence program for high risk children. Undergraduates used interpersonal problem-solving techniques to work with 32 maladapting first through third graders who were seen on a small group basis. Results indicated that children in the program made significantly greater gains in classroom adjustment. (Author)

Used social behavior ratings from observers, teachers, and parents to predict kindergartners' perceptions of peer acceptance. Found that friendship skill predicted parent- and child-reported peer acceptance. Shyness/withdrawal inversely predicted teacher-reported peer acceptance. Aggression did not predict peer acceptance. Girls were rated as more…

Information on social behavior independence, and intelligence was gathered on 74 Head Start subjects (Anglo, Negro, and Mexican-American) aged 5 to 7 years, for the development of a scale to measure the level of independence in small children. The following hypotheses were tested: (1) Level of independence will differentiate ethnic groups. Ranking…

Developed measures of relational aggression for young children. Found that relational aggression appears at young ages and can be distinguished from overt aggression. Preschool girls are more relationally and less overtly aggressive than boys. Relational aggression is related to social-psychological maladjustment. (Author/KB)