A Contextualized Framework for Social Skills Assessment, Intervention, and Generalization

Abstract

This article presents a conceptualization of social skills with an emphasis on natural contexts within which children are expected to function. A definition of social skills is offered whereby important considerations of social contexts are emphasized. Assessment procedures that address both environmentally relevant and child-specific behaviors and enjoy high degrees of treatment utility and social validity (i.e., are relevant in criterion settings and important at an individual child level) are emphasized. Meaningful generalization procedures to incorporate into intervention programs are presented.