The social competence is very important to survive successfully in society. Everybody needs to be socially competent for living a better life in society, having good relationships and interactions with others. Researchers have concluded that deficits in social competence can affect later success in life. Social competence has frequently been cited as a critical component of life adjustment (e.g., Epstein & Cullinan, 1987; Neel, 1988). In particular, the importance of social competence and related personality features has been stressed for individuals who have mental retardation or other developmental disabilities (e.g., Balla & Zigler, 1979). As a consequence, social skills instruction has increasingly been recognized as a key component to be included in intervention programs for students who are mildly mentally retarded. (Gable. A.R & Warren. F.S., 1993).
The American Association on Mental Retardation (2002), defines mental retardation as “Mental retardation is disability characterized by significant limitation both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social and practical adaptive skills. This disability originates before age 18”. (p.1). Social skills are specific behaviors that facilitate interpersonal interactions and maintain a degree of independence in daily functioning. Social competence involves the use of those skills at the right times and places, showing social perception, cognition, and judgment of how to act in a particular situation and how to adjust one’s behavior to meet different situations (Greenspan, 1979, 1990; Kerr & Nelson, 1989; Sargent, 1989).
Table of Contents
Components of Social Competence
Sociobehavioral Deficits in mild mental retardation
Causes of Deficits in Social Competence
Social skills Training for improving social competence in individuals with mental retardation
1. Direct instruction Social Skill Training
2. A Curriculum for Effective Peer and Teacher Skills
3. Group Socialization Procedure
4. Sociodrama
5. Stimulate shy and withdrawn children:
6. Video Assisted Training
7. Modeling
8. Coaching Approach
9. Self-Determination and Personal Management
10. Recreation and Leisure
11. The role of social stories
Maintenance and generalization procedures
Research Objectives and Focus Areas
The primary objective of this work is to explore the role of social skills training in improving the social competence of individuals with mental retardation. It investigates the nature of social skill deficits, the factors that contribute to these deficiencies, and evaluates various instructional methodologies designed to enhance interpersonal interactions, peer acceptance, and the ability of these individuals to lead independent lives within society.
- Theoretical conceptualizations of social competence and mental retardation.
- Identification of causal factors for deficits in social competence.
- Analysis of diverse evidence-based instructional training approaches.
- Importance of generalization and maintenance procedures for social skills.
- Socialization roles of family, education, peers, and media.
Excerpt from the Book
Components of Social Competence
Vaughn and her associates have identified four interdependent factors that comprise social competence, each of which must be considered in order to construct an educational intervention to change a child’s social competence. These are the following:
Social skills knowledge: obviously, a student’s knowledge and use of acceptable social skills has some effect on overall social competence. Intervention for social skills deficits involves training the child in specific social skills or social problem solving strategies.
The child’s relationships with others: this typically involves peer status, friendships, relationships with family and teachers, and, at later stages, intimate relationships (Vaughn & Hogan, 1994). Measures of peer acceptance generally should involve the use of the peers in the class for assessment. Such assessment is referred to as sociometric rating. Interventions for peer acceptance typically involve those in which the peers participate along with the target child, and increased structured interactions do tend to lead to development for peer acceptance and friendships that involve students with and without disabilities. (Bishop & Jubala, 1994)
Accurate age appropriate social cognition: this is the ability to cognitively interpret the social dialogue and understand the feelings, motivations, and behaviors of oneself and others. (Vaughn & Hogan, 1990). Intervention for this type of socia cognition usually involves role-play activities in which the target child is taught to consider the feelings of others.
The absence of maladaptive behaviors: This includes serious behavior problems and noxious social behavior as well as development of self-control. An uncontrollable nose drip has been used as one example of a socially noxious behavior. Typically noxious behaviors and maladaptive behaviors are measured through observation or teacher rating, and interventions are structured to decrease or eliminate the inappropriate behavior whenever possible.
Summary of Chapters
Components of Social Competence: Identifies four interdependent factors—social skills knowledge, relationships, social cognition, and absence of maladaptive behaviors—essential for designing effective interventions.
Sociobehavioral Deficits in mild mental retardation: Discusses the theoretical construct of social competence and its relationship to mental retardation, including Greenspan’s model of intellectual and social intelligence.
Causes of Deficits in Social Competence: Examines the primary and secondary hypotheses regarding why students with disabilities may exhibit social deficits and the importance of socialization.
Social skills Training for improving social competence in individuals with mental retardation: Reviews various strategies such as direct instruction, ACCEPTS, group socialization, sociodrama, and video-assisted training to improve competence.
Maintenance and generalization procedures: Addresses the challenges of ensuring that taught social skills are maintained and applied by students in real-world settings outside the classroom.
Keywords
Social competence, mental retardation, social skills training, behavioral deficits, social cognition, interpersonal relationships, educational intervention, socialization, ACCEPTS, generalization, maintenance, peer acceptance, sociodrama, modeling, self-determination.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
This work fundamentally explores the necessity and methodology of training individuals with mental retardation in social skills to improve their competence and social inclusion.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the components of social competence, models of social intelligence, causes of social deficits, and various pedagogical strategies for effective social skill intervention.
What is the ultimate goal of the social skills training described?
The primary goal is to prepare individuals with mental retardation for successful social lives, enhancing their ability to live independently and fostering positive relationships with peers and adults.
What scientific methods and approaches are highlighted?
The text reviews diverse instructional strategies including Direct Instruction, the ACCEPTS program, Group Socialization, Sociodrama, Video Assisted Training, and Modeling.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The body covers conceptual models of social competence, analysis of causal factors for deficits, specific training techniques, and the critical importance of generalization beyond the classroom.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is defined by terms such as social competence, mental retardation, instructional strategies, socialization, generalization, and behavioral intervention.
How does the "deficit model" influence the educational approach?
The "deficit model" historically attributed the lack of social acceptance to the individual's lack of specific skills; current interventions focus on filling these skill gaps through structured training.
Why is generalization considered a major challenge in social skills training?
Generalization is difficult because students often struggle to apply classroom-learned skills to dynamic, real-world social environments; hence, specific programming for maintenance is required.
What is the significance of the ACCEPTS program?
ACCEPTS is a specialized curriculum designed to teach both peer and teacher interaction skills, utilizing a direct instructional format that is increasingly relevant for inclusive classroom settings.
- Citar trabajo
- Amna Arif (Autor), 2010, Role of Social Skills Training in Improving Social Competence in Individuals with Mental Retardation, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/179783
