A cognitive–social learning model of social-skill training.

Abstract

Prior efforts to systematicall y organize and define the growing area of social-skill training with children are characterized by several major shortcomings that may impede the progress of future research. As an alternative, the present article explores the purposes, methods, major findings, and future directions of socialskill training research from the perspective of a cognitive-social learning explanation of behavior change. Social-learning principles are utilized to provide both an explanatory framework and a potential technology for social-skill training methodology. Attention is devoted to conceptualizi ng skill-trainin g methods in terms of theoretically derived variables and components as well as formal properties of training. Findings from empirical research are reviewed with respect to important or promising variables, their hypothesized function in behavior change, and their demonstrated effects on children's social behavior. Current and future research trends are discussed in light of the proposed model and available empirical evidence. During the last two decades, investigators working within developmental, clinical, and educational disciplines have contributed to a growing body of literature on social-skill training with children. Social skills, as denned in this article, refer to children's ability to organize cognitions and behaviors into an integrated course of action directed toward culturally acceptable social or interpersonal goals. Also included in this definition is the propensity to continuously assess and modify goal-directed behavior so as to maximize the likelihood of reaching one's goals. Current research efforts reflect a common interest in social behavioral change during childhood and a commitment to training paradigms based on principles of learning and instruction. Despite these similarities, it is apparent that investigations within each discipline differ in terms of analytic and technological objectives and thus scientific and practical contributions.