Social Problem-solving Task Research Articles

The effect of taxing situations on preschool children’s responses to peer conflict

Preschool children are often faced with situations that could tax their cognitive resources and consequently affect their abilities to navigate subsequent social problems. Following taxing situations, children may be more likely to enact impulsive, aggressive responses instead of competent responses during peer conflict episodes. We exposed 114 5-year-old children to either a brief taxing procedure or one of two control procedures, followed by a social problem solving task. Children in the Taxing condition were more likely to endorse physically aggressive responses and less likely to endorse prosocial responses to peer social situations compared to the control conditions. The results suggest that taxing situations can negatively impact children’s social problem solving skills. We discuss the possibility that the observed taxing effect provides preliminary evidence for a causal link between executive function and social competence.

Enriched Environment Exposure Enhances Social Interactions and Oxytocin Responsiveness in Male Long-Evans Rats.

Both social and physical stimuli contribute to the complexity of an animal’s environment, influencing biobehavioral responses to subsequent challenges. In the current study, male Long-Evans rats were randomly assigned to an isolate (ISO), social control (SC) or social enriched (SE) group (n = 8 per group). The SC and SE conditions were group housed with the SE group exposed to physical enrichment stimuli that were natural as opposed to manufactured (e.g., hollowed out log instead of plastic hiding place). On three occasions during their 40-day enriched environment exposure, night/dark phase videos were obtained for 1 h during the early part of the dark phase. During this time, the SE animals exhibited significantly more social grooming with no differences between the SE and SC in the frequency of play or self-grooming bouts. Subsequently, all animals were assessed in social interaction and problem-solving escape tasks during the last week of the enriched environment exposure. SE rats exhibited increased digging bouts toward the restrained conspecific in the social interaction task whereas the other groups exhibited more escape responses. In the problem-solving task, SE animals exhibited a decreased latency to cross the barrier to escape from the predator odor (i.e., cat urine and fur). Neural analyses indicated increased oxytocin-immunoreactive (OT-ir) tissue in the SE supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus compared to the other groups. Interestingly, blood samples indicated lower peripheral corticosterone (CORT) and higher OT levels in the ISO animals when compared to the SC and SE animals, an effect retrospectively attributed to separation anxiety in the SE and SC animals in preparation for histology procedures. When the behavioral, neural and endocrine data were visualized as a multifaceted dataset via a multidimensional scaling analysis, however, an association between social enrichment and higher OT involvement was observed in the SE animals, as well as heightened stress responsivity in the ISO and SC groups. In sum, the SE animals exhibited a facilitation of social responses, problem-solving ability and OT immunoreactive responsiveness. These findings provide new information about the influences of both physical and social stimuli in dynamic and enriched environments.

Interpersonal Competence Development of University Students -Exploring a Social Problem-Solving Measurement Approach

Interpersonal Competence Development of University Students -Exploring a Social Problem-Solving Measurement Approach Hermann Astleitner, Claudia Ortner Abstract Interpersonal competence is currently regarded as an important aim in higher education. Nevertheless, traditional measurements looking at interpersonal competence have been based on self-ratings which do not cover recent developments in assessment methods. With these advancements, interpersonal competence is conceptualized as an integrative-holistic, problem-solving-based, and developmental-model-related skill. Following these principles, a theoretical model of interpersonal competence development was used in this study to develop a problem-solving measurement such as a questionnaire. The measurement consisted of social problem-solving tasks related to five interpersonal competence levels concerning awareness, acceptance, care, trust, and love. In addition to each of the competence levels, three stimulating learning conditions were also postulated and measured. The questionnaire was presented to a sample of 168 university students from different social research study programs. On the one hand, results showed acceptable indications of the reliability and validity of the interpersonal competence measurement. On the other hand, it was not possible to find conclusive and supporting evidence concerning sources and mechanisms of interpersonal competence development. The implications of this for future studies on interpersonal competence are that the differences between self-ratingand problem-solving-based measurements as well as the social goals and related strategies of university students should be considered. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v6n2a7

Steroid hormones moderate the association between trait negative affect and symptoms of burnout after a social problem-solving task in young men

Steroid hormones moderate the association between trait negative affect and symptoms of burnout after a social problem-solving task in young men

Enhancing self-efficacy improves episodic future thinking and social-decision making in combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is associated with maladaptive changes in self-identity, including impoverished perceived self-efficacy. This study examined if enhancing perceptions of self-efficacy in combat veterans with and without symptoms of PTSD promotes cognitive strategies associated with positive mental health outcomes. Prior to completing a future thinking and social problem-solving task, sixty-two OEF/OIF veterans with and without symptoms of PTSD were randomized to either a high self-efficacy (HSE) induction in which they were asked to recall three autobiographical memories demonstrating self-efficacy or a control condition in which they recalled any three autobiographical events. An interaction between HSE and PTSD revealed that individuals with symptoms of PTSD in the HSE condition generated future events with more self-efficacious statements than those with PTSD in the control condition, whereas those without PTSD did not differ in self-efficacy content across the conditions. In addition, individuals in the HSE condition exhibited better social problem solving than those in the control condition. Increasing perceptions of self-efficacy may promote future thinking and problem solving in ways that are relevant to overcoming trauma and adversity.

Group training in interpersonal problem-solving skills for workplace adaptation of adolescents and adults with Asperger syndrome: A preliminary study

Adults with Asperger syndrome show persistent difficulties in social situations which psychosocial treatments may address. Despite the multiple studies focusing on social skills interventions, only some have focused specifically on problem-solving skills and have not targeted workplace adaptation training in the adult population. This study describes preliminary data from a group format manual-based intervention, the Interpersonal Problem-Solving for Workplace Adaptation Programme, aimed at improving the cognitive and metacognitive process of social problem-solving skills focusing on typical social situations in the workplace based on mediation as the main strategy. A total of 50 adults with Asperger syndrome received the programme and were compared with a control group of typical development. The feasibility and effectiveness of the treatment were explored. Participants were assessed at pre-treatment and post-treatment on a task of social problem-solving skills and two secondary measures of socialisation and work profile using self- and caregiver-report. Using a variety of methods, the results showed that scores were significantly higher at post-treatment in the social problem-solving task and socialisation skills based on reports by parents. Differences in comparison to the control group had decreased after treatment. The treatment was acceptable to families and subject adherence was high. The Interpersonal Problem-Solving for Workplace Adaptation Programme appears to be a feasible training programme.

Autobiographical memory specificity and social problem solving in females with subclinical eating psychopathology

In comparison to healthy participants, patients with clinical eating disorders have been shown to retrieve fewer specific, and a greater number of general, memories on the autobiographical memory test (AMT). ‘Overgeneral’ memory is associated with poor social problem-solving (SPS). The current study examined if subclinical eating psychopathology is also associated with ‘overgeneral’ AM and poor SPS. High and low scorers on the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI-II) were compared on their ability to retrieve specific memories in response to emotional word cues. Participants also completed the means-end SPS task (MEPS). High EDI scorers retrieved significantly fewer specific, and a greater number of categorical, memories than did the low EDI scorers. They also produced fewer, and less effective, means on the MEPS. Performance on the MEPS was positively related to AM specificity and negatively related to the number of categorical memories. These findings remained significant even after controlling for depression.

How could Theory of Mind contribute to the differentiation of social adjustment profiles of children with externalizing behavior disorders and children with intellectual disabilities?

This study compared Theory of Mind (ToM) emotion and belief abilities in 43 children with externalized behavior (EB) disorders presenting low intelligence, 40 children with intellectual disabilities (ID) and 33 typically developing (TD) preschoolers (as a control group), matched for developmental age. The links between their ToM abilities, their level in seven self-regulation strategies as displayed in social problem-solving tasks and their social adjustment profiles (assessed by the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation, completed by their teachers) were examined. Children with EB presented lower comprehension of causes of emotions and lower self-regulation of joint attention and of attention than children with ID and TD children. In comparison with TD children, lower social adjustment was observed in nearly all dimensions of profiles in both atypical groups. Specifically, children with EB were significantly angrier than children with ID. Although variable patterns of positive correlations were obtained in atypical groups between self-regulation strategies and ToM abilities, the most numerous positive links were obtained in the group with EB. Regression analyses showed that developmental age predicted ToM abilities and certain dimensions of social adjustment profiles in atypical groups. In the ID group, ToM emotions predicted general adaptation, affective adaptation, interactions with peers and with adults and low internalizing problems. In the EB group, general adaptation was predicted by ToM emotions and self-regulation, interactions with peers by ToM beliefs, and a low level of externalizing problems by ToM emotions. Some implications for intervention and perspectives for research are suggested.

Social problem solving in early childhood: Developmental change and the influence of shyness

The purpose of this study was to examine developmental change and the influence of shyness on social problem-solving (SPS). At 24, 36, and 48months, children (N=570) were observed while interacting with an unfamiliar peer during an SPS task and at 24months, maternal report of shyness was collected. Results showed that across the full sample, children displayed low but stable levels of withdrawn SPS and increasing levels of SPS competence over development. In addition, results showed multiple trajectories of withdrawn and competent SPS. Shyness was associated with high-increasing and high-decreasing withdrawn SPS trajectories compared with the low-increasing withdrawn SPS trajectory. Shyness was also associated with the low-increasing compared with the high-increasing SPS competence trajectory. Findings demonstrate the development of SPS competence over early childhood, and the influence of early shyness on this developmental course, with some shy children showing improvement in SPS skills and others continuing to show SPS difficulties over time.

Biological and Cognitive Responses to an In Vivo Interpersonal Stressor: Longitudinal Associations with Adolescent Depression

Social stress occurring during adolescence is considered a risk factor for the development of adolescent depressive symptoms. However, the specific mechanisms through which social stress may affect depressive symptoms are not well-established. The current prospective study considered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity and social problem-solving deficits occurring in response to an acute interpersonally themed stressor as longitudinal predictors of depressive symptoms. Sixty-two adolescents (ages 12–16; 73% female) were recruited using oversampling techniques intended to include adolescents with a wide range of depressive symptoms. HPA axis reactivity was established by collecting Cortisol samples before and after an in vivo interpersonally themed social stressor task. Similarly, adolescents completed a structured performance-based social problem-solving task before and after the stressor to provide a measure of stress-induced social problem-solving deficits. Depressive symptoms were asse...

From Hominoid to Hominid Mind: What Changed and Why?

The living great apes, and in particular members of the genus Pan, help test hypotheses regarding the cognitive skills of our extinct common ancestor. Research with chimpanzees suggests that we share some but not all of our abilities to model another's perspective in social interactions. Large-scale comparisons among human infants, bonobos, chimpanzees, and orangutans on both social and physical problem-solving tasks demonstrate that human infants are unique for their early emerging social cognitive skills, which facilitate participation in cultural interactions. Comparisons between bonobos and chimpanzees also reveal cognitive differences that are likely due to developmental shifts. These comparative studies suggest that our species' capabilities to assess the psychological states of others are built on those abilities that were present in our last common ape ancestor and were derived, in part, owing to shifts in cognitive ontogeny that likely account for species differences among other apes as well.

Effects of traumatic brain injury on a virtual reality social problem solving task and relations to cortical thickness in adolescence

Social problem solving was assessed in 28 youth ages 12–19 years (15 with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), 13 uninjured) using a naturalistic, computerized virtual reality (VR) version of the Interpersonal Negotiations Strategy interview (Yeates, Schultz, & Selman, 1991). In each scenario, processing load condition was varied in terms of number of characters and amount of information. Adolescents viewed animated scenarios depicting social conflict in a virtual microworld environment from an avatar's viewpoint, and were questioned on four problem solving steps: defining the problem, generating solutions, selecting solutions, and evaluating the likely outcome. Scoring was based on a developmental scale in which responses were judged as impulsive, unilateral, reciprocal, or collaborative, in order of increasing score. Adolescents with TBI were significantly impaired on the summary VR-Social Problem Solving (VR-SPS) score in Condition A (2 speakers, no irrelevant information), p=0.005; in Condition B (2 speakers+irrelevant information), p=0.035; and Condition C (4 speakers+irrelevant information), p=0.008. Effect sizes (Cohen's D) were large (A=1.40, B=0.96, C=1.23). Significant group differences were strongest and most consistent for defining the problems and evaluating outcomes. The relation of task performance to cortical thickness of specific brain regions was also explored, with significant relations found with orbitofrontal regions, the frontal pole, the cuneus, and the temporal pole. Results are discussed in the context of specific cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying social problem solving deficits after childhood TBI.

New directions in evaluating social problem solving in childhood: Early precursors and links to adolescent social competence

A major objective of this chapter is to present a novel, ecologically sensitive social problem-solving task for school-aged children that captures the complexity of social and cognitive demands placed on children in naturalistic situations. Competence on this task correlates with a range of skills including executive functions, verbal reasoning, and attention. Children able to successfully carry out this task in middle school were more competent in early adolescence in collaborating in joint problem-solving tasks with peers and solving conflicts with parents.

Social Problem-Solving and Mild Intellectual Disabilities: Relations With Externalizing Behavior and Therapeutic Context

Relations among externalizing behavior, therapeutic context (community care vs. residential care), and social problem-solving by children with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intelligence were examined. Participants were 186 children (12 to 14 years of age) who responded to a video-based social problem-solving task. Of these, 130 received residential care and the majority suffered from severe externalizing behavior problems. The results indicated that externalizing behavior was related to encoding, generation of aggressive responses, and negative evaluation of assertive responses. Therapeutic context was related to encoding, positive evaluation of assertive responses, and negative evaluation of aggressive responses. Results indicate a discrepancy between appropriate problem-solving skills and behavior in daily life. Implications for interventions are discussed.

Emotion perception and learning potential: Mediators between neurocognition and social problem-solving in schizophrenia?

Social cognition and learning potential have been proposed as mediating variables between neurocognition and functional outcome in schizophrenia. The present study examined this relation in a schizophrenia group (N = 26) with normal IQ. Neurocognition was measured with a composite score from tests of verbal learning, psychomotor speed, and executive functioning. Functional outcome was defined as social problem-solving skills and assessed with a role-play test. Social cognition was indexed by tests of visual and auditory emotion perception; and learning potential by estimating a gain score using a triple administration of the WCST. Neurocognition was confirmed to be a strong predictor of social problem-solving, and emotion perception was related to both neurocognition and social problem-solving. When controlling for emotion perception, the association between neurocognition and social problem-solving was weakened, implying a mediating role of emotion perception. Learning potential was not significantly related to neurocognition or social problem-solving, and thus not found to mediate the studied relation. In conclusion, our study indicates that emotion perception is a mediator between neurocognition and functional outcome as assessed with a social problem-solving task and thus a key factor in understanding functional outcome of schizophrenia.

Autobiographical Memory Specificity Predicts Social Problem-Solving Ability in Old and Young Adults

Based on recent research with young, depressed adults, age-related cognitive declines and decreased autobiographical specificity were hypothesized to predict poorer social problem-solving ability in older than in younger healthy adults. Priming autobiographical memory (ABM) was hypothesized to improve social problem-solving performance for older adults. Subsequent to cognitive tests, old and young participants' specific ABMs were tested using a cued recall task, followed by a social problem-solving task. The order of the tasks was counterbalanced to test for a priming effect. Autobiographical specificity was related to cognitive ability and predicted social problem-solving ability for both age groups. However, priming of ABM did not improve social problem-solving ability for older or younger adults. This study provides support for the hypothesis that autobiographical memory serves a directive function across the life-span.

The effects of rumination and distraction on over-general autobiographical memory retrieval during social problem solving

We examined the effects of rumination and distraction on over-general autobiographical memory (AM) retrieval during social problem solving (SPS), as well as SPS performance in terms of means and effectiveness. After undergoing a rumination or distraction manipulation, dysphoric and non-dysphoric participants performed a SPS task and reported the memories retrieved during SPS. The dysphoric ruminators performed significantly less effectively on the SPS task than the other groups. However, the dysphoric ruminators did not differ from the dysphoric distracters on the numbers of categoric memories retrieved during SPS although they retrieved significantly more categoric memories than the non-dysphoric distracters and non-dysphoric ruminators. For all groups, the effectiveness score was significantly negatively correlated with categoric memories retrieved during SPS. The results demonstrated that in a dysphoric sample, rumination impaired SPS performance but did not influence categoric AM retrieval during SPS. The results suggested that in a dysphoric sample, rumination might affect SPS performance by affecting processes like initiation and motivation rather than AM retrieval during SPS.

Individual Differences in Theory of Mind, Aggressive Behavior, and Social Skills In Young Children

Research Findings. The present study examined relations between social-cognitive skills, aggression, and social competence using teacher questionnaires and tabletop tasks with preschool and kindergarten children. It was hypothesized that the acquisition of a theory of "mind," as indexed by an understanding of false beliefs, might be related to social behavior for this age group. Overall, results indicated that both generation of forceful solutions in a traditional social-problem solving task and performance on the false belief tasks were significantly related to social competence, after controlling for the effects of age, language comprehension, and teacher ratings of aggression. In addition, theory of mind understanding was a better predictor of social competence than performance on a more traditional social information-processing task that involved the generation of alternative solutions to interpersonal problems. Practice. The implications of these findings for preschool and kindergarten peer relations and their potential relevance to treatment of deficits in social skills are discussed. Specifically, training in an understanding of counterfactual thinking (e.g., through increased and structured opportunities to engage in pretend play and storytelling) may enhance preschooler social skills.

Cognitive vulnerability in patients with bipolar disorder.

No study has simultaneously explored key components of Beck's model of cognitive vulnerability to depression in people with bipolar disorders. We compared 41 euthymic bipolar patients with 20 healthy control subjects. All subjects were assessed on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Autobiographical Memory Test and the Mean Ends Problem-Solving procedure and also completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale, the Sociotropy Autonomy Scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionnaire. In comparison to control subjects, patients with bipolar disorder demonstrated significantly higher levels of dysfunctional attitudes (particularly perfectionism and need for approval) and sociotropy, significantly greater over-general recall on an autobiographical memory test and significantly less ability to generate solutions to social problem-solving tasks. These between group differences remained significant when age, intelligence, latency to respond to autobiographical memory test cue words, and subjective mood ratings were included as co-variates in the statistical analysis. Within the patient group, cognitive dysfunction was significantly correlated with level of morbidity (as measured by number of previous illness episodes). This study suggests that cognitive vulnerability in patients with bipolar disorder is similar to that described in unipolar disorders. It is not clear whether this dysfunction is a cause or an effect of repeated episodes of bipolar disorder. However, the findings may have implications for clinical treatment as well as suggesting a number of important new avenues of research into psychological models of affective disorder.

PIQ > VIQ Discrepancy as a Correlate of Social Problem Solving and Aggression in Delinquent Adolescent Males

Numerous studies have established an association between a PIQ > VIQ discrepancy and juvenile delinquency. However, the reasons for this connection are unclear. In this study, we investigated the PIQ > VIQ discrepancy in a sample of 95 male adolescent delinquents and found that it was related not only to delinquency but also to social problem solving. We found that the PIQ > VIQ discrepancy was related to greater hostile attributional bias on a social problem-solving task. However, we did not find a link between the PIQ > VIQ discrepancy and measures of aggression.