title: Social problem solving and social performance after a group social skills intervention for childhood brain tumor survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to explore the ability of a group social skills intervention program for childhood brain tumor survivors to effect two steps of the social information processing model: social problem solving and social performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 15 survivors (eight men and seven women) aged 7-15 years. The intervention consisted of eight 2-h weekly sessions focused on social skills including friendship making. Social problem solving, using hypothetical scenarios, was assessed during sessions 1 and 8. Social performance was observed during intervention sessions 1, 4, and 8.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with session 1, significant increases were found in social performance: frequency of maintaining eye contact and social conversations with peers over the course of the intervention. No significant changes in social problem solving were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study is the first to report improvements related to group social skills intervention at the level of observed social performance over the course of intervention. The lack of change in social problem solving suggests that survivors may possess the social knowledge required for social situations but have difficulty enacting social behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Oncology and Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vannatta
authors.forename: Maru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrera
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011340:Problem Solving; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D012919:Social Behavior; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: cancer; intervention; oncology; pediatrics; social behavior