Teaching interpersonal social skills to poorly accepted students: Peer-pairing versus non-peer-pairing

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify students in the second, third, and fourth grades low in social status by means of a peer rating of acceptance, and to determine whether social skills intervention with these students would be more effective when delivered in the presence of high-social-status (HS) students with good social skills. Thirty-five students were identified as low-social-status (LS) students who were deficient in social skills. These LS students were assigned to one of three groups: intervention paired with HS peers, intervention without HS peers, or no social skills intervention (contact control group). Students were evaluated prior to and immediately following intervention on three measures: peer rating of acceptance, a test of social problem solving, and a teacher rating of behaviors,the Classroom Behavior Inventory. The results revealed little support for HS peer pairing but did support social skills intervention.