Evaluation of the Multiple Effects of a Social Skill Intervention

Abstract

There is a consensus among social skills trainers and researchers that broad intervention effects, such as response generalization, are both attainable and desirable, yet recent reviews of the literature have revealed that little is known about collateral effects of procedures designed to effect social interaction. A multiple baseline, multiple probe design was used to evaluate the effects of a social skill intervention for three elementary school age children with behavioral and learning disorders. An observation system utilizing time-sampling and duration recording was developed to assess the acquisition of target social behaviors, the concomitant changes in nontargeted behaviors, and changes in peer and teacher responses to target students as a result of the training package. The results indicated success in increasing student acquisition of targeted social behaviors which in turn led to lengthier peer interactions for all three students. Additionally, all three target students demonstrated increases in nontargeted responses. The results are discussed in light of social skill training, response covariation, collateral effects, and generalization.