Effects of video modeling on addition word-problem performance of students with autism spectrum disorder

Many students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience academic challenges and difficulties. These struggles are especially pronounced in mathematics with students with ASD performing significantly below than their peers without disabilities on measures of mathematical performance. The current study used a single case experimental design with concurrent multiple probe across students to investigate the effects of a point-of-view video modeling (POVM) intervention on accuracy of addition with regrouping word problems. The participants were three secondary grade level students with ASD. Findings showed that each student demonstrated considerable improvement during intervention over baseline levels, and subsequently sustaining their performance through the maintenance phase. Limitations, implications for practitioners and future research directions are presented.

Academic and Social Self-Efficacy Scale: Development and Initial Validation

The Academic and Social Self-Efficacy Scale (ASSESS) was developed to assess the self-efficacy judgments of students and to predict academic achievement and sociometric status. Self-reported judgments of academic self-efficacy best predicted academic achievement, whereas self-reported social self-efficacy best predicted sociometric status. Teacher- and parent-reported self-efficacy ratings were minimal predictors of achievement and sociometric status. A multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) analysis failed to provide evidence for convergent and discriminant validity. These results were interpreted in light of the situational specificity of behavior and cross-informant variability in behavior ratings.

Teachers' Social Validity Ratings of Social Skills: Comparisons between Mildly Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Children

Teachers have certain expectations or standards for children's social behavior in mainstream classrooms. The purpose of the present study was to document regular education teachers' social behavior standards for a sample (N = 250) of mildly handicapped (LD, BD, and MR) and nonhandicapped students matched on sex and race. Using the teacher version of the Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS-T), 125 teachers rated the importance of 50 objectively described social behaviors. Results of the teachers' ratings indicated that they valued academic-related social behaviors as more important to classroom functioning than peer-to-peer interaction behaviors. High rater agreement, as measured by rank-order correlations, was demonstrated between Black and White teachers (rho = .96) and male and female students (rho = .93). Rank-order correlations between each handicapped subsample and matched nonhandicapped subsamples were also high (rho ranged from .91 to .98). Thus, teachers' ratings of importance did not vary much as a function of student race, sex, or classification. These findings are discussed in the context of a “model behavior profile” expected for students in classrooms and the appropriate selection of target behaviors for intervention.

Psychometric properties of the Social Skills Questionnaire: Portuguese adaptation of the student form (grades 7 to 12)

The present study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of the student form (Grades 7 to 12) of the Social Skills Questionnaire authored by Gresham and Elliott (1990), on a sample of Portuguese adolescents. Participants included 573 students, both female and male, aged 14 to 19. Reliability was assessed through Cronbach's alpha and was .87 for the total scale, ranging from.58 to .72 for the subscales. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the main adjustment indices presented unexpected values. A principal components analysis indicated that several items of the cooperation subscale correlated with other factors. Adequate adjustment indices were found when cooperation was removed from the model. Semantic dualities due to cultural factors and difficulties assuming the cooperation dimension as an independent dimension might explain the results observed. The reorganization of the SSQ offers a reliable and valid instrument for research within the Portuguese population.

A validity study of the social skills rating system-teacher version with disabled and nondisabled preschool children

This study examined the differences among social skills and problem behaviors of disabled (n = 22) and nondisabled (n = 27) preschoolers on Social Skills Rating System-Teacher Version. Significant differences were found between the two groups on all measures of social skills and all but one measure (internalizing problems) of problem behaviors. Also, correlations with a measure of social competence and 8 teachers' ratings strongly supported the validity of this measure of social skills for preschool children. Implications for designing early intervention programs are discussed.

Social skill deficits and learning disabilities: a meta-analysis

Over the past 15 years, increased attention has been directed at social skills and their relationship to learning disabilities. Using the methods of meta-analysis, this investigation explores the nature of social skill deficits among students with learning disabilities. Across 152 studies, quantitative synthesis shows that, on average, about 75% of students with learning disabilities manifest social skill deficits that distinguish them from comparison samples. Approximately the same level of group differentiation is found across different raters (teachers, peers, self) and across most dimensions of social competence. Although social skill deficits appear to be an integral part of the learning disability experience, a number of questions about the relationship between learning disability and social skill deficits remain unanswered. Until these questions are answered, social skill deficits are best viewed as one among many elements of the learning disability constellation, and no significant definitional changes related to social skill deficits appear warranted.

Teaching theory of mind: a new approach to social skills training for individuals with autism

This study examined the effectiveness of a social skills training program for normal-IQ adolescents with autism. Five boys participated in the 4 1/2-month treatment condition; four boys matched on age, IQ, and severity of autism constituted the no-treatment control group. In addition to teaching specific interactional and conversational skills, the training program provided explicit and systematic instruction in the underlying social-cognitive principles necessary to infer the mental states of others (i.e., theory of mind). Pre- and post-intervention assessment demonstrated meaningful change in the treatment group's performance on several false belief tasks, but no improvement in the control sample. No changes, however, were demonstrated on general parent and teacher ratings of social competence for either group.

Social skills training with hearing-impaired children and adolescents

Social skills training has been used with a variety of adult and child populations. This article describes the use of social skills training with hearing-impaired children. Data related to the treatment of four hearing-impaired children were presented for illustrative purposes. For all cases, social skills training resulted in improved social behavior during role play. Treatment effects also generalized to novel role-play scenes and an analogue situation. Social validation measures (subjects' and parents' satisfaction with training) supported the effectiveness of treatment. The effects of training were generally maintained at a 2-month follow-up. The potential effectiveness of social skills training with hearing-impaired children and methods to enhance treatment maintenance were discussed.

Utility of cognitive-behavioral procedures for social skills training with children: a critical review

Thirty-three studies that have used cognitive-behavioral social skills training procedures were critically reviewed. These studies were classified under four broad categories: modeling, coaching, treatment packages, and social problem solving. Seven criteria were used to critically evaluate these studies: subject characteristics, treatment specification, outcome measures, statistical analyses, experimental design, generalization, and cost effectiveness.