Lower Levels Of Social Competence Research Articles

Social competence and SME performance: extending the nonfinancial perspective

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of entrepreneurs’ social competence (SC) on small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) performance.Design/methodology/approachPrimary data of 250 manufacturing SMEs were collected through a survey method. The influence of SC on performance was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM).FindingsOverall, the findings suggest that SC dimensions have a positive influence on SME performance in terms of nonfinancial perspective. More clearly, the findings show that out of five dimensions of SC, which include social adaptability, social perception, social expressiveness, persuasiveness and impression management; social perception, persuasiveness and impression management have direct effect on customer perspective; persuasiveness, social expressiveness and social adaptability have a direct influence on internal business processes and social adaptability, social perception, impression management and social expressiveness are directly related with learning and growth. Contrary to expectations though, social perception and social adaptability were significantly and negatively associated with internal business processes and customer perspective, respectively, while there was no significant correlation between social expressiveness, persuasiveness and impression management with customer perspective, business processes and learning and growth in that order.Practical implicationsThe current study affirms that SMEs managed by entrepreneurs and managers who possess high levels of SC, may have a better performance compared to those operated by entrepreneurs with low levels of SC. This justifies a need for SME entrepreneurs and managers to work hard to improve their SC capabilities.Originality/valueThis study is pertinent and unique because, it extensively examines each of the five dimensions of SC in relation to nonfinancial indicators of SME performance. Besides, the study also provides additional evidence of the impact of SC on SME performance by suggesting that entrepreneurs who are socially competent are more likely to own highly successful ventures.

The development of social competence in students with General Learning Difficulties in early primary grades: The necessity of psychological support programmes in schools

AbstractStudents with General Learning Difficulties present low levels of social competence. In order to increase them, students participate in school psychological support programmes. There are no research data available in Greece regarding social competence in students with General Learning Difficulties in the first grades of elementary school. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the efficiency of an intervention programme, which focused on strengthening their social competence, in the first grades of primary school. The levels of social competence of the students were evaluated before and after the implementation of an 8‐month social empowerment programme, following a mixed‐methods approach with the use of semi‐structured interviews and observation in the school context. The participants were 21 students with General Learning Difficulties, 18 education professionals, whose classes the 21 students attended, together with the 21 parents of these students (one parent per student). The results showed that the social competence of the participants was low before and that it increased after their participation in the intervention programme. In addition, girls had higher social competence than boys both before and after their participation in the intervention programme. These results highlight the benefits of classroom intervention programmes for children with General Learning Difficulties.

The Prognostic Usefulness of Multiple Specifiers for Subtyping Conduct Problems in Early Childhood

To better describe and treat children with conduct problems (CP), grandiose-manipulative and daring-impulsive traits are proposed for subtyping CP, instead of using only a callous-unemotional specifier. However, the acclaimed benefits of having multiple specifiers for CP remain largely untested and therefore highly speculative. To fill this gap, this study tested longitudinal relations between these 3 specifiers and developmental outcomes in childhood and adolescence, independent of early childhood CP. Longitudinal data from 2 community studies were used. Teacher ratings were used to measure CP and the specifiers in 3- to 5-year-olds from Sweden (n= 2,064) and Spain (n= 2,055). Developmental outcomes were assessed by multiple informants (ie, teachers, parents, and children) 1 to 8 years later. Early childhood CP were predictive of all outcomes. Callous-unemotional traits predicted low levels of social competence and prosocial behavior, independent of CP (and age, gender, and socioeconomic status). Grandiose-manipulative and daring-impulsive traits were predictive of aggression and violent delinquency, respectively, independent of CP, but also of higher levels of prosocial behavior or social competence. The 3 specifiers are predictive of different outcomes, independent of CP, which is thought to form the basis for developing specifiers for CP. Findings tentatively challenge the centrality of callous-unemotional traits for subtyping CP, but it is premature to conclude that grandiose-manipulative and daring-impulsive specifiers are needed in future revisions of DSM and ICD. Efforts to systematically evaluate the utility of these specifiers should be welcomed to inform ongoing debates on this matter.

Effect of Malocclusion on Bully Victim School Students

Background: Bullying or peer victimization in schools is a specific sort of aggressive behavior and can be described as a circumstance in which a student is subjected, frequently and over time, to unpleasant acts on the part of one or more classmates. The study’s objective was to evaluate Malocclusion’s effect on bully-victim school students, specifically self-esteem and oral health-related quality of life. Material & Methods: This study was a prospective cross-sectional investigation carried out at the Baridhara Scholar’s International School & College. The study was carried out between October 2021 and October 2022 which included 310 students between the ages of 10 and 14 years. Results: Most of the students, 91(29.4%), were aged 13 years. whereas 143(46.1%) were boys and 167(53.9%) were girls. The majority of the participants, 177(57.1%), were bullied, and 133(42.9%) were not bullied. Those who had experienced bullying were significantly more likely to have a Class II Division 1 incisor relationship (P value, 0.034), an increased overjet >4 mm (P value, 0.002), and an increased overbite (P value, 0.041). A negative impact on total Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) (P value, 0.001) is caused by bullied participants reporting higher degrees of oral symptoms (P value, 0.042), functional limits (P value, 0.001), emotional impact (P value, 0.001), and social impact (P value, 0.001) from their oral condition. In comparison to non-bullied participants, those who had experienced bullying reported lower levels of social competence (P-value, 0.001), athletic competence (P-value, 0.001), physical appearance-related self-esteem (P-value, 0.001), and general self-esteem (P-value, 0.001). Conclusion: According to this study, bullying in schools is the most prevalent offense children commit. Significant associations exist between the self-esteem of bullying victims, the existence of malocclusion, and their OHRQoL. Orthodontic characteristics such as a Class II Div1, Div2, class III incisor relationship, enhanced overjet, and overbite are linked to bullying.

Classroom chaos and program quality in early child care and education programs: A study from Turkey

This study aimed to better understand the construct of classroom chaos in relation to child care program quality and examine its association with child externalizing problems and social competence. Towards this end, two studies were conducted at child care programs in Turkey. Study 1 was qualitiative and relied on eight focus group interviews with 24 Turkish teachers to gain a deeper understanding of what is meant by quality and chaos. Study 2 included 49 teachers and 251 preschoolers as participants to investigate the concurrent relations of classroom chaos and quality with children's socioemotional functioning. Results of multilevel linear modeling analyses revealed that teachers’ increased perception of classroom chaos was associated with higher levels of externalizing problems and lower levels of social competence in children, even after controlling for program quality, child age, gender, and temperamental effortful control. Teacher-rated classroom chaos was also associated with mother-reported externalizing problems. On average, program quality was rated as minimal and showed no significant relations with externalizing problems and social competence. The implications of these findings were discussed with respect to the intervention targets in early child care and education programs.

Family interactions in toddlerhood influence social competence in preschool age: Accounting for genetic and prenatal influences.

Identification of early promotive and risk factors for social competence is important for fostering children's successful social development; particularly given social competence is essential for children's later academic and psychological well-being. While research suggests that the early parent-child relationship, genetics, and prenatal influences are associated with social competence, there is less research considering how these factors may operate together to shape children's social competence in early childhood. Using a genetically informed sample from the Early Growth and Development Study (N = 561), we examined multiple levels of influence (i.e., genetic, prenatal, parenting, and child characteristics) on children's social competence at 4.5 years old. Results from structural equation models showed adoptive mother overreactivity at 18 months was positively associated with child dysregulation at 27 months, which, in turn, was associated with lower levels of social competence at 4.5 years. Also, child reactivity at 18 months was independently associated with higher levels of adoptive mother overreactivity at 27 months, which, in turn, was associated with lower levels of social competence at 4.5 years. Finally, we found an evocative effect on adoptive fathers' overreactivity at 18 months such that prenatal birth mother distress was negatively associated with adoptive fathers' overreactivity at 18 months. Overall, this study found evidence for genetic influences, and bidirectional associations between parent and child in toddlerhood that are related to lower levels of social competence when children were 4.5 years old. We also found that the prenatal environment was associated with parenting, but not with child behavior directly. This study's ability to simultaneously examine multiple domains of influence helps provide a more comprehensive picture of important mechanisms and developmental periods for children's early social competence.

Alexithymia is related to poor social competence in autistic and nonautistic children.

Alexithymia is characterized by difficulties identifying and describing one's own emotions and the emotions of others. These challenges with understanding emotions in people with alexithymia may give rise to difficulties with social interactions. Given that alexithymia frequently co-occurs with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and that both populations have difficulties with social interactions, it is of interest to determine whether alexithymia can help to parse some of the heterogeneity in social competence in autistic and nonautistic individuals. The caregivers of 241 children (6-14 years old), including 120 autistic, and 121 nonautistic, rated their child's social competence using the Multidimensional Social Competence Scale (MSCS), autism traits using the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), and alexithymia traits using the Children's Alexithymia Measure (CAM). Regression analyses indicated that age, IQ, sex, AQ, and CAM scores accounted for 40.2% of the variance in autistic children's, and 68.2% of the variance in nonautistic children's, parent-reported social competence. Importantly, after controlling for age, IQ, sex, and AQ scores, CAM scores alone accounted for an additional 16.2% of the variance in autistic children's, and 17.4% of the variance in nonautistic children's social competence. These results indicate that higher alexithymia traits predict lower levels of social competence, suggesting that increased difficulty in identifying and describing one's own emotions and the emotions of others is associated with poorer social competence. Furthermore, CAM scores were found to partially mediate the relationship between autistic traits and social competence, suggesting that comorbid alexithymia traits may be partially responsible for poor social competence in individuals with high autistic traits. This research contributes to the understanding of the factors associated with the development of social competence and highlights alexithymia as a potential target for identification and intervention to improve social competence. LAY SUMMARY: Alexithymia is a condition where people find it hard to think and talk about their (and others') feelings. About 50% of autistic people have alexithymia. This might be why they have social and emotional difficulties. Parents answered questions about alexithymia and social difficulties their children have. Children with more alexithymia problems had poorer social skills. Thus, alexithymia may be related to social problems faced by autistic and nonautistic children.

Financial strain, maternal attributions, emotion knowledge and children's behavioral readiness for school

In this research, we applied the family stress model to examine maternal hostile attribution bias and emotion situation knowledge as mediators linking family financial strain and children's behavioral readiness for school in a sample of affluent mothers and preschoolers (63 boys). The sample was diverse with regard to race, but the majority of the children were White. Using serial mediational analyses conducted by PROCESS, results indicated that the associations between perceived family financial strain and low levels of social competence and high levels of internalizing behavior were mediated by maternal hostile attributions and lowered child emotion situation knowledge. We discuss the impact of perceived financial strain on parental cognitions and young children's emotion knowledge and behavioral readiness for formal schooling and offer directions for future research and implications for interventions.

Maternal Life Stress and Subsequent Chinese Toddlers’ Social Adjustment: The Moderating Role of Inhibitory Control

The current study examined the links between maternal life stress and subsequent toddler behavior problems and social competence, as well as the potential moderating effects of cool and hot inhibitory control (IC) in mainland China. Participants included 89 mothers and their infants (42 boys, 47 girls). Mothers completed self-report measure of maternal life stress when their children were 1 year of age (M = 1.18, SD = .07 at Time 1), and reported on their children’s social adjustment using the Chinese version of Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (CITSEA) at Time 1 and again a year later (M = 2.06, SD = .09 at Time 2). Toddler IC was assessed with laboratory tasks at Time 2. Structural equation modeling with a bootstrap resample of 1000 indicated that cool IC significantly moderated the longitudinal association between maternal life stress (T1) and latent construct of toddler behavior problems (T2), controlling for behavior problems at Time 1, child age and maternal age. Specifically, maternal life stress was associated with subsequent behavior problems only for toddlers who were low in cool IC. In comparison to the results of behavior problems, high levels of maternal life stress predicted subsequent low levels of social competence. Neither cool IC nor hot IC served as the moderator in the association between maternal life stress (T1) and toddler social competence (T2). These findings indicated that toddler cool IC may promote resilient adaptation and modify the links between maternal life stress and toddler behavior problems but not social competence.

Peer Exclusion During the Pubertal Transition: The Role of Social Competence.

For some youth, early puberty is accompanied by peer exclusion. Yet early developers may experience less peer exclusion if they have social competence, which would bolster their ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with their peers. Accordingly, the present study tests whether pubertal timing and tempo predicts decrements in children's social competence and whether decrements in social competence account for associations between puberty (timing and tempo) and peer exclusion over time. Longitudinal data were drawn from 1364 families (48% female; 76% White; M = 9.32 years, SD = .48, at Wave 3) who participated in Waves 3-5 (i.e., grades 4-6) of Phase III of the NICHD-SECCYD. The results from latent growth curve models indicated that earlier pubertal timing and more rapid pubertal tempo among girls were associated with high initial levels of peer exclusion. Moreover, mediation analyses revealed that early developers' susceptibility to peer exclusion was associated with their initial level of social competence. In boys, pubertal timing and tempo were not directly associated with peer exclusion; instead, indirect effects of pubertal timing on peer exclusion (intercept, slope) occurred through initial levels of social competence. On average, early developers' who had low levels of social competence also had high initial levels of peer exclusion but experienced decrements in peer exclusion over time. The association between the intercepts for puberty and peer exclusion and the slopes for social competence and peer exclusion were stronger for boys than girls. Overall, our findings suggest that early developers' susceptibility to and experiences of peer exclusion are associated with their development of social competence.

Being on Your Own or Feeling Lonely? Loneliness and Other Social Variables in Youths with Autism Spectrum Disorders

A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine loneliness and its correlates in children (7 to 11 years) and adolescents (12 to 18 years) with autism spectrum disorders (ASD, n = 73) and control groups of clinically referred (ADHD, n = 76) and non-clinical (n = 106) youths. Youths completed questionnaires on loneliness and desire for social interaction, while parents and teachers filled out scales on other aspects of children’s social functioning. Results indicated that only at an adolescent age, the ASD group reported higher levels of loneliness than the control groups. Further, the ASD group generally expressed relatively low levels of desire for social interaction, although these youths displayed a similar increase in the wish to belong during adolescence as participants in the control groups. Finally, the ASD group exhibited lower levels of social competence and social skills and higher levels of social problems and social anxiety than the control groups, and in all groups these social variables correlated in a theoretically meaningful with loneliness.

Behavior problems and social competence in Brazilian children with specific language impairment

This study aimed to investigate the behavior and social profile of Brazilian children with specific language impairment (SLI) and explore whether the severity of language deficits was associated with behavioral problems and low social competence. Twenty-four children with SLI aged from 6 to 11 years who showed substantial expressive language problems and were receiving speech-language therapy were assessed through the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Children with SLI showed high rates of behavioral problems and low levels of social competence. With the exception of two subscales (“somatic” and “rule breaker”), the percentage of children with SLI at risk of behavioral problems was significantly higher than the same proportion in the general population; and almost all children with SLI (95.2 %) demonstrated problems with social competence. The severity of language deficits was associated with the risk of behavioral problems according to only one criterion. No associations were found between the severity of language problems and social competence. The study provides cross-cultural evidence to support the existence of behavior problems and reduced social competence in children with SLI. Our findings point to the need of using a combination of measures to classify the severity of language problems rather than a single dimension.

Examining social competence, self-perception, quality of life, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms in adolescent females with and without autism spectrum disorder: a quantitative design including between-groups and correlational analyses.

BackgroundAdolescent females with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are an understudied population, yet are also quite vulnerable, due to the increased complexities of social interaction and increased risk for internalizing symptoms in adolescence. Most research literature currently focuses on males with ASD, limiting our understanding of social experiences for females with ASD, and thus the potential to better inform supports and intervention to promote social-emotional functioning. This study examined similarities and differences in selected indicators of social-emotional health (social competence, self-perception, quality of life) and problematic behaviors such as externalizing and internalizing symptoms for adolescent females with and without ASD.MethodsThis study employed a quantitative design utilizing correlational analysis as well as t test comparisons to examine selected indicators of social-emotional health and problematic symptoms using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS), Youth Quality of Life Instrument (YQOL), and the Self-Perceptions Profile for Adolescents (SPPA) for adolescent females with ASD in relation to their typically developing peers.ResultsSignificant differences were found between females with and without ASD in terms of their self-ratings of social-emotional health and problematic behaviors. The no-ASD group rated themselves higher across all areas of social-emotional health. Findings also suggest strong relationships between these constructs, especially for females without ASD. Parent reports of autism symptoms and social-emotional health indicated that as symptoms of autism are more severe, so too was the impact on individuals’ social competence.ConclusionsAdolescent females with ASD perceive themselves as having lower social competence, self-worth, and quality of life and higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms as compared to their typically developing peers. Parent ratings indicate that higher levels of autism symptoms relate to lower levels of social competence. These findings lend support to the postulate that adolescent females with ASD are more vulnerable than their typically developing counterparts due to the compounded impact of ASD symptoms on social-emotional health and the higher risk for internalizing disorders for adolescent girls. Limitations and implications for further research and intervention are discussed.

That’s not my place: The interacting effects of faultlines, subgroup size, and social competence on social loafing behaviour in work groups

Taking a social relations approach to team diversity, we propose that faultlines—hypothetical dividing lines that split a team into relatively homogeneous subgroups—impact the team members’ propensity to exhibit social loafing behaviour. We further propose that this individual-level reaction to the faultline structure of the team can differ among team members, depending on the size of their subgroup and on their individual social competence. We tested the assumptions with a sample of real teams working on an intellective task during which social loafing behaviour was video-coded. In partial support of the hypotheses, generalized mixed models revealed that social loafing behaviour was most common for team members who were part of a team with strong faultlines, who belonged to the larger subgroup in their team, and who exhibited low levels of social competence. The results therefore highlight the benefits of taking a multilevel approach to the effects of faultlines.

Complementary Channel Use and the Role of Social Competence

This study focused on channel complementarity among various interpersonal communication channels (face-to-face, telephone, e-mail, text messaging, and Facebook). We looked at daily channel use among 136 participants and demonstrated complementary channel use among most combinations of channels, excluding face-to-face. We also extended channel complementarity theory by examining social competence as a moderator of channel complementarity. Results indicated that telephone and text messaging exhibited complementarity at high but not low levels of social competence, whereas e-mail and text messaging exhibited complementarity at low but not high levels of social competence. Face-to-face communication and Facebook exhibited a displacement relationship at high but not low levels of social competence. Implications for channel complementarity theory and the role of individual characteristics are discussed.

Losing one's cool: social competence as a novel inverse predictor of provocation-related aggression.

Provocations and frustrating events can trigger an urge to act aggressively. Such behaviors can be controlled, but perhaps more so for people who can better distinguish effective from ineffective courses of action. The present three studies (total N = 285) introduce a scenario-based measure of this form of social competence (SC). In Study 1, higher levels of SC predicted lower levels of trait anger. Study 2 presented provocation scenarios and asked people whether they would engage in direct, indirect, and symbolic forms of aggression when provoked. SC was inversely predictive of all forms of aggressive responding. Study 3 focused on reactions to frustrating events in daily life. Such events were predictive of hostile behavior and cognitive failures particularly at low levels of SC. The research establishes that SC can be assessed in an objective manner and that variations in it are systematically predictive of reactive aggression.

Bidirectional longitudinal relations between father–child relationships and Chinese children's social competence during early childhood

Using a two-year and three-wave cross-lagged design with a sample of 118 Chinese preschoolers, the present study examined bidirectional longitudinal relations between father–child relationships and children's social competence. The results of structural equation modeling showed bidirectional effects between father–child conflict and social competence. Higher conflict in father–child relationships at three months after preschool entry predicted lower levels of children's social competence at the end of the first preschool year over and above continuity in competence. Lower levels of social competence at three months after preschool entry also predicted higher father–child conflict at the end of the first preschool year over and above continuity in conflict. These bidirectional relations did not vary across child gender and proved robust to the inclusion of potential common factors.

Bullying in orthodontic patients and its relationship to malocclusion, self-esteem and oral health-related quality of life

To measure the self-reported frequency and severity of bullying amongst patients referred for orthodontic treatment and to investigate whether there is a relationship between levels of self-reported bullying, malocclusion and need for orthodontic treatment and an individual's self-esteem and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Cross-sectional study of an adolescent group referred for orthodontic assessment at three UK hospitals. Three hundred and thirty-six participants aged between 10 and 14 years were recruited. Validated questionnaires were used to measure the self-reported frequency and severity of bullying, self-esteem and OHRQoL. Orthodontic treatment need was assessed using IOTN. The prevalence of bullying was 12·8%. Being bullied was significantly associated with Class II Division 1 incisor relationship (P = 0·041),increased overbite (P = 0·023),increased overjet (P = 0·001)and a high need for orthodontic treatment assessed using AC IOTN (P = 0·014).Bullied participants also reported lower levels of social competence (P<0·001),athletic competence (P<0·001), physical appearance related self-esteem (P<0·001)and general self-esteem (P<0·001). Higher levels of oral symptoms (P = 0·032),functional limitations (P<0·001), emotional (P<0·001)and social impact (P<0·001) from their oral condition, resulting in a negative impact on overall OHRQoL (P<0·001),were also reported. Significant relationships exist between bullying and certain occlusal traits, self-esteem and OHRQoL.

Using Matched Groups to Explore Child Behavior Problems and Maternal Well-Being in Children with Down Syndrome and Autism

Mothers of children with Down syndrome, autism, and mixed etiology intellectual disabilities, matched on child age, gender, and communication skills (n = 19 in each group) completed measures of their child's adaptive and problem behaviors, their own parenting stress, and positive perceptions of their child. Children with autism were rated as having more problem behaviors and lower levels of social competence than children with Down syndrome and mixed etiology intellectual disabilities. Mothers of children with autism scored lower on positive perceptions of their child, and higher on stress than the other two groups. After selecting closely matched groups, we found several group differences in child behavior but little evidence of group differences in maternal outcomes.

Social competence and social support as mediators between comorbid depressive and conduct problems and functional outcomes in middle school children

This study examined the roles of social competence and social support as potential mediators of the association between psychopathology and functional outcomes in a middle school sample ( n = 521). Participants were stratified into four psychopathology risk groups (depression only, conduct problems only, comorbid depression and conduct problems, low symptoms) based on screening during early 6th grade. Functional outcomes were 6th grade point average (GPA) and parent rating of global adaptive functioning in their 7th grade student. Low levels of social competence were found to mediate the association between symptoms and both lower grades and global functioning for adolescents with depressive symptoms alone and with comorbid symptoms, but not for those with conduct problems alone. Lack of social support mediated the association between psychiatric symptoms and lower grades for adolescents with depression alone and comorbid symptoms, but not for those with conduct problems alone. These findings suggest that intervention to improve social competence and social support may enhance functional outcomes, especially for youth with depressive symptoms or comorbid depressive and conduct symptoms.