title: Evaluation of a social skills program based on social learning theory, implemented in a school setting.
abstract: Using a sample of 647 Canadian children in kindergarten to Grade 3 (325 boys, 322 girls), the present study evaluated the perceived effectiveness of Skillstreaming (McGinnis & Goldstein, 2003), a widely known social skills program implemented to target the development of four skill sets, i.e., listening, following directions, problem-solving, and knowing when to tell. Results indicated significant postprogram improvements in all skills as well as in ratings of overall prosociality obtained from both classroom teachers and mental health staff, with medium to large effect sizes obtained from teachers' and mental health professionals' ratings, respectively. Additional analyses yielded significant but weak moderator effects of grade and preprogram prosocial functioning for teacher ratings but no consistent moderator effects for children's sex or school location (i.e., urban versus rural) regardless of rater.
authors.affiliation: Saybrook University, USA. basheridan@gmail.com
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Sheridan
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donlon
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McGovern
authors.forename: Harris
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003479:Curriculum; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D011340:Problem Solving; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D012951:Socialization; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*