A 52-item teacher rating scale designed to assess children's social skills efficiently was developed and validated. Factor analysis of the scale demonstrated that it appears to measure similar dimensions of social competence as other teacher rating scales. These factors were labeled: (a) academic performance, (b) social initiation, (c) cooperation, and (d) peer reinforcement. These factors showed moderate correlations with reading and mathematics achievement and moderate negative relationships with various dimensions of behavior problems. Ongoing research and development of the scale was described.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Achenbach, T. M. (1982). Developmental psychopathology, (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley.
2.
Achenbach, T. M., & Edelbrock, C. S. (1978). The classification of child psychopathology: A review and analysis of empirical efforts. Psychological Bulletin, 85, 1275-1301.
3.
Asher, S. R., & Hymel, S. (1981). Children's social competence in peer relations: Sociometric and behavioral assessment. In J. D. Wine & M. D. Smye (Eds.), Social competence. New York: Guilford.
4.
Bonnev, MI. E., & Powell, J. (1953). Differences in social behavior between sociometrically high and sociometrically low children. Journal of Educational Research, 46, 481-496.
5.
Bornstein, M. R., Bellack, A. S., & Hersen, M. (1977). Social skills training for unassertive children: A multiple baseline analysis. Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis, 10, 283-295.
6.
Cooke, T. P., & Apolloni, T. (1976). Developing positive social-emotional behavior: A study of training and generalization effects. Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis, 9, 65-78.
7.
Cowen, E. L., Pederson, A., Babigian, H., Izzo, L. D., & Trost, M. A. (1973). Long-term follow-up of early detected vulnerable children. Journal of Consulting Clinical Psychology, 41, 438-446.
8.
Dunn, L. M., & Markwardt, E. C. (1970). Peabody Individual Achievement Test. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
9.
Foster, S., & Ritchey, W. (1979). Issues in the assessment of social competence in children. Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis12, 625-638.
10.
Goldstein, A. P., Sprafkin, R. P., Gershaw, N. J., & Klein, P. (1980). Skillstreaming the adolescent. Champaign, IL: Research.
11.
Gottlieb, J., Semmel, M. I., & Veldman, D. J. (1978). Correlates of social status among mainstreamed retarded children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 70, 396-405.
12.
Gottman, J. M., Gonso, J., & Schuler, P. (1976). Teaching social skills to isolated children. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 4, 179-197.
13.
Greenwood, C., Todd, N., Hops, H., & Walker, H. (1982). Behavior change targets in the assessment and treatment of socially withdrawn preschool children. Behavioral Assessment, 4, 237-297.
14.
Gresham, E. M. (1981). Social skills training with handicapped children: A review. Review of Educational Research, 51, 139-176.
15.
Gresham, E. M. (1982a). Misguided main-streaming: The case for social skills training with handicapped children. Exceptional Child, 48, 422-433.
16.
Gresham, E. M. (1982b). Social interactions as predictors of children's likeability and friendship patterns: A multiple regression analysis. Journal of Behavioral Assessment, 4, 39-54.
17.
Gresham, F. M. (1983). Social skills assessment as a component of mainstreaming placement decisions. Exceptional Child, 49, 331-336.
18.
Gresham, F. M. (1985). Conceptual issues in assessment of social competence in children. In P. Strain, M. Guralnick, & H. Walker (Eds.), Children's Social Behavior. Development, Assessment, and Modification. New York: Academic Press.
19.
Gresham, F. M., & Elliott, S. N. (1984). Assessment and classification of children's social skills: A review of methods and issues. School Psychology Review, 13, 292-301.
20.
Gresham, E. M., & Nagle, R. J. (1980). Social skills training with children: Responsiveness to modeling and coaching as a function of peer orientation. Journal of Consulting Clinical Psychology, 48, 718-729.
21.
Harman, H. H. (1976). Modern factor analysis. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
22.
Hartup, W. W., Glazer, J. A., & Charlesworth, R. (1967). Peer reinforcement and sociometric status. Child Development, 38, 1017-1024.
23.
Hersh, R. H., & Walker, H. M. (1983). Great expectations: Making schools effective for all students. Policy Studies Review, 2, 147-188.
24.
Milburn, J. F (1974). Special education and regular class teacher attitudes regarding social behavior of children: Steps towards the development of a social skills curriculum. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, Columbus.
25.
Oden, S., & Asher, S. R. (1977). Coaching children in social skills for friendship making. Child Development, 48, 495-506.
26.
Odom, S. L., Jenkins, J. R., Speltz, M. L., & De Klyen, M. (1982). Promoting social integration of young children at risk for learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 5, 379-387.
27.
Reardon, R. C., Hersen, M., Bellack, A. S., & Foley, J. M. (1979). Measuring social skill in grade school boys. Journal of Behavioral Assessment, 1, 87-105.
28.
Reschly, D. J., Gresham, F. M., & Graham-Clay, S. L. (1985). Multifactored non-biased assessment. Convergent and discriminant validity of social and cognitive measures with black and white regular and special education students. Final project report. Washington, DC: Office of Special Education, United States Department of Education, Grant (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 252034).
29.
Reschly, D. J., Grimes, J., Ross-Reynolds, J. (1981). State norms for IQ adaptive behavior, and sociocultural status.: Implications for nonbiased assessment. Des Moines: Iowa Department of Public Instruction.
30.
Reschly, D. J., & Reschly, J. E. (1979). Validity of WISC-R factor scores in predicting achievement and attention for four socio cultural groups. ,Journal of School Psychology, 17, 355-361.
31.
Singleton, L. C., & Asher, S. R. (1977). Peer preferences and social interaction among third-grade children in an integrated school district. Journal of Educational Psychology, 69, 330-336.
32.
Stephens, T. M. (1978). Social skills in the classroom. Columbus, Ohio: Cedars.
33.
Stephens, T. M. (1981). Technical information. Social behavior assessment. Columbus, Ohio: Cedars.
34.
Strain, P. S., Shores, R. E., & Timm, M. D. (1977). Effects of peer social initiations on the behavior of withdrawn preschool children. Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis, 10, 289-298.
35.
Stumme, V. S., Gresham, F. M., & Scott, N. A. (1982). Validity of Social Behavior Assessment in discriminating emotionally disabled from nonhandicapped students. Journal of Behavioral Assessment, 4, 327-341.
36.
Stumme, V. S., Gresham, F. M., & Scott, N. A. (1983). Dimensions of children's classroom social behavior: A factor analytic investigation. Journal of Behavioral Assessment, 5, 161-177.
37.
Walker, H. M. (1976). Walker Problem Behavior Identification Checklist Manual. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.
38.
Walker, H., McConnell, S., Homes, D., Todis, B., Walker, J., & Golden, N. (1983). The Walker Social Skills Curriculum. Austin, Texas: Pro-Ed.
39.
Walker, H. M., & Rankin, R. (1983). Assessing the behavioral expectations and demands of less restrictive settings. School Psychology Review, 12, 274-284.
40.
Wechsler, D. (1974). Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised. New York: Psychological Corporation.
