The goal of the current study was to investigate the social skills of a community sample of children that would vary in their level of ADHD symptomatology (e.g., inattention and hyperactivity), with a specific focus on their communication patterns and pragmatic language use (PLU). The study explored whether PLU was associated with, and perhaps accounted for, the social skills problems children with different degrees of ADHD symptomatology experience. Pragmatic language use, ADHD symptomatology, and social skills were examined with traditional standardized measures as well as a detailed investigation of communication patterns and PLU obtained from sampling behaviors from a semi-structured dyadic communication task. A community sample of 54 children between the ages of 9 and 11 years participated. Pragmatic language use partially mediated the relation between ADHD symptomatology and social skills. These results indicate that although the correlation between ADHD and social skills drops from r = -.649, p < .01 to r = -.478, p < .01, when PLU is entered in the model, the correlation between ADHD and social skills still remains significant. Further, ADHD symptomatology and PLU both predicted social skills scores, and although ADHD symptomatology and PLU were related to one another, PLU provided a unique contribution in the estimate of children’s social skills of 10.5% above and beyond the contribution of ADHD symptomatology. However, ADHD symptomatology was the most influential predictor in uniquely accounting for approximately 19% of the differences in social skills outcomes above and beyond the contribution of PLU. Possible explanations as to why PLU mediates the relation between ADHD symptomatology and social skills are discussed. Implications and future research are discussed in terms of children with ADHD and peer relations.

Previous research has been interested in studying parental emotion socialization practices in parents of typically developing (TD) children. The current study aimed to explore such practices among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Seventy-eight families participated in this study. Self-reported rating scales were adopted to measure the child's social competence, parenting stress and maternal emotional styles. As hypothesized, results showed significantly different patterns in maternal emotional styles between mothers of children with ASD and those with TD children. However, inconsistent to our hypothesis, the maternal emotional styles were found to be neither related to child's social competence nor parenting stress within the ASD group. Implications of findings on future research and practice are discussed. / published_or_final_version / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Tyrimo metodika. Tyrimas yra lokalus – momentinis, atliktas 2009 metais Pravieniškių I-uosiuose ir II – uosiuose pataisos namuose. Taikyti du tyrimo metodai – anketinė apklausa ir interviu. Tyrimas vyko tarp pilnamečių kalinių. Anketą (klausimyną) sudarė keturi klausimų/teiginių blokai: I – demografiniai klausimai; II – klausimai/teiginiai apie nuteistųjų asmenų fizinę (sportinę) veiklą ir tam sudarytas sąlygas; III – kalinčiųjų socialinių įgūdžių vertinimas pagal E. Gambrill (1995), IV – nuteistųjų savęs vertinimas. Naudota G. Rosenbergo sudaryta iš dešimties teiginių vertinimo skalė. Skirtumai laikyti statistiškai reikšmingais esant ne didesnei kaip 5 proc. paklaidai (p<0,05). Nuteistųjų apklausai pasirinktas struktūruotas interviu pagal iš anksto turimus klausimus ir numatant klausimų eiliškumą. Anketinėje apklausoje dalyvavo 320 nuteistųjų. Interviu metodu apklausta 17 minėtųjų pataisos namų gyventojų Rezultatai. Pakankami fiziškai aktyvūs nuteistieji sudarė 57,8 proc. visų tyrime dalyvavusių respondentų. Kaip parodė tyrimas, fizinis aktyvumas nuteistųjų tarpe yra statistiškai reikšmingai susijęs su jaunesniu amžiumi. Klausdami nuteistųjų: ,,Ar dalyvaujate sporto varžybose”? nustatėme, kad ir fiziškai pasyvūs kaliniai tokiose varžybose dalyvauja. Tačiau statistiškai reikšmingai jų nėra tiek daug kiek sportuojančių kalinių. Varžybose apskritai nedalyvauja trečdalis sportuojančių ir du trečdaliai nesportuojančių kalinių. Dominuojantis kalinių išsilavinimas sportuojančiųjų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Aim of the study. To evaluate a physical activity as ability to develop for healthy lifestyle and social skills in prisons of Lithuania among the prisoners man. Methods. The research there are topical – instantaneous was done at 2009 in the first and second prisons of Pravieniskes. In the research were used two methods: the questionnaire and interview. Both at one and other of research participated only prisoners (men). The questionnaires consisted of three blocks of questions/propositions: I - demographics questions (age, education, duration of imprisonment, amount of previous convictions); II – questions about physical activity of prisoners. III – evaluation of social skills of prisoners according E.Gambrill (1995). For questioning of prisoners were chose structure interview according beforehand available a questions and predictable a questions succession. At questionnaire poll participated 320 prisoners. In interview were survey 17 already has mention occupant of prisons. Results. An enough physically active prisoners consist 57.8% of all in research to had participated respondents. As shown study, physical active among prisoners are statistics significant relate to more young age. To asked: ,,Do you participate in competition of sport”? to establish fact physically active prisoners participate in such competition. But statistics significant of them is not so much like physically active one. Overall in competition don’t participating third physically active and two third... [to full text]

Solidarumas yra esminė Europos Sąjungos vertybė, ypatingai svarbi krizės metu. Žodis “Sąjunga” reiškia būtent tai – esame kartu, kad kovotume su krize, tuo tarpu solidarumas sukuria apsauginį skydą mums visiems. Lietuvos integracija į Europos Sąjungą bei naujų visuomenės požiūrių į vaiką formavimasis skatina tobulinti socialinę politiką Lietuvoje. Tai skatina tobulinti ir politiką vaiko atžvilgiu, taip pat ir vaikų socialinių įgūdžių formavimą globos įstaigose. Taigi, šio darbo tikslas: Išanalizuoti vaikų globos namuose teikiamą socialinių įgūdžių formavimo dinamiką, indėlius, galimybių įgyvendinimus rengiant globotinį savarankiškam gyvenimui. Siekiant įgyvendinti tikslą, atlikome literatūros analizę, taip pat vykdėme penkių etapų tyrimą: apklausti trijų globos įstaigų vadovai, 11 globos namuose dirbančių specialistų bei 23 buvę globos namų auklėtiniai, buvo trys metus stebimi vaikai išėję iš globos įstaigos, pravesta diskusija su buvusiais ugdytiniais. Nustatyta, kad globos įstaigose teikiamos įvairaus pobūdžio paslaugos, formuojant vaikų socialinius įgūdžius. Vaikams sudarytos galimybės lankyti mokyklą, jiems suteikiamos medicininės paslaugos, stengiamasi globos institucijos aplinką padaryti kuo artimesne šeimos aplinkai. Taip pat rūpinamasi vaikų laisvalaikiu, sudaromos galimybės lankyti būrelius. Vaikai aprūpinami rūbais, gauna kišenpinigių, maitinami. Ugdomi ir vaikų socialiniai įgūdžiai. Analizė atskleidė, kad vaikų globos namų galimybės, įvertinant juos... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Solidarity is a fundamental EU value, particularly important during an economical recession. The word "Union" means just that - we are together to fight the crisis - creating a protective shield of solidarity for all of us. Lithuania's integration into the European Union and accomplish public attitudes to child support, improving the formation of social policy in Lithuania. This forces to improve child policies, as well as the social skills of children in institutional care. Thus, this work is: To analyze child’s social skills dynamics input and realization of possibilities at foster homes. In order to achieve the objective, literature was analyzed, as well as five stages of the investigation was done: Three heads of institutional care, 11 social workers and 23 children in foster home was interviewed, children who came out of care institutions have been monitored during three years and discussion with former learners was held. It was found that care homes provide a wide range of services in shaping children's social skills. For children able to attend school, they provided medical services, residential institutions seek to make the environment very close to the family environment. As well as care for children in leisure activities, allowing it to attend the section. Children are provided with clothes, pocket money, meals. Children social skills are also trained. Analysis revealed that child care home options, assessing their regulatory framework, the existing... [to full text]

Magistro darbas: „Mokytojų požiūris į socialinių įgūdžių ugdymo problemas“ Darbo vadovas doc. dr. A. Žemgulienė, Vulniaus pedagoginis universitetas, ugdymo pagrindų katedra. Tyrimo objektas: pradinių klasių mokytojų požiūris į socialinių įgūdžių ugdymo problemas. Tyrimo problema: kaip ugdomi socialiniai įgūdžiai. Tyrimo tikslas: nagrinėti socialinių įgūdžių ugdymo sampratą, bei pradinių klasių mokytojų požiūrį į socialinių įgūdžių ugdymo problemas. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. Išsiaiškinti socialinių įgūdžių samprata ir jų klasifikacija. 2. Išanalizuoti socialinių įgūdžių vaidmenį atnaujintose Bendrosiose programose. 3. Išanalizuoti lietuvių ir užsienio mokslinę literatūrą nagrinėjančią socialinių įgūdžių ugdymo problemą. 4. Nagrinėti pradinio ugdymo pedagogų požiūrį į socialinių įgūdžių ugdymo problemas, bei atlikti klausimyno analizę. Tyrimo metodai: mokytojų anketinė apklausa, kiekybinio tyrimo duomenų statistinė analizė ir apibendrinimo metodas. Tyrimo imtis: 112 – pradinių klasių mokytojų. Darbe nagrinėjama socialinių įgūdžių ugdymo pradinėse klasėse problematika. Socialinių įgūdžių ugdymo aktualumas grindžiamas teiginiu, kad nuo pradinių klasių pradėti ugdyti socialiniai įgūdžiai padės geresnei vaiko socializacijai ateityje. Šiandien visame pasaulyje siekiama to, kad kuo daugiau mokinių pasiektų kuo aukštesnių kognityvinių gebėjimų ne mechaniškai atkuriant žinias, bet pritaikant jas vis naujoms problemoms spręsti ir perduoti kitiems. Toks mokymosi tikslas ypatingai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Master paper work: „Teachers‘ attitude towards the problems of social skills development“ Darbo vadovas doc. dr. A. Žemgulienė, Vulniaus pedagoginis universitetas, ugdymo pagrindų katedra. Supervisor Senior lecturer Doc. A. Žemgulienė, Vilnius Pedagogical University, Department of Educational Basics The subject of the research is primary school teachers‘ attitude towards the issues of social skills training. The question of the research is how social skills are developed. The aim of research is to analyse the conception of social skills development as well as primary school teachers‘ attitude towards the issues of social skills training. The tasks of research are: 1. To unclose the conception of social skills and their classification. 2. To analyse the role of social skills in the Curriculum Framework. 3. To analyse Lithuanian and foreign scientific literature on social skills development. 4. To analyse primary school teachers‘ attitude towards the issues of social skills development as well as to carry out the evaluation of the questionnaire. The methods of research: teachers‘ questionnaire, statistical analysis of the data of the quantitative research and the method of generalization. Target group of the research: 112 primary school teachers. The paper work deals with the topic of social skills training in primary classes. The relevance of social skills training is predicated on the statement that social skills being trained in primary classes enhance child’s... [to full text]

Att använda magkänslan som bedömningsunderlag i rekryteringsprocesser anses förlegat och forskning indikerar på att det leder till diskriminering och felrekryteringar. Istället föreslås att rekryteringen ska vara kompetensbaserad och därmed generera ökad mångfald. Syftet med studien var att studera vad rekryterare anser är viktigast vid valet av nya medarbetare samt vad rekryterarens magkänsla har för inverkan vid valet av nya kandidater. Tolv rekryterares uppfattningar har analyserats med en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet visar på att olika bedömningsunderlag används och det finns en skillnad mellan branscher. I vissa branscher utförs personlighets- och intelligenstester medan det i andra branscher föredras närvaro eller att passa in i arbetsgruppen. Magkänslan spelar in i alla rekryteringsprocesser och kan både leda till diskriminering och en god matchning mellan person och tjänst, mycket beroende på rekryterarens erfarenhet i yrket. Bedömningen blir dock mer objektiv ju fler bedömningsunderlag som används. / Using gut instinct as assessment base in recruitment processes are considered outdated and research indicates that it results in discrimination and recruiting the wrong candidates. Instead competency-based recruitment should be used, to increase diversity. The aim was to study what recruiters consider are most important when choosing employees as well as what impact their gut instinct has in the selection. The perception of twelve recruiters has been analysed with qualitative content analysis. Results shows that different assessment bases are used and there’s a difference between industries. In some industries, personality and intelligence tests are used while other industries prefer presence or a fit into the team. Gut instinct has an impact on all recruitment processes and can lead to both discrimination and a good match between the person and the service, highly dependent on the recruiter’s experience in the profession. The assessment is more objective the more assessment bases used.

The literature suggests that adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are characterized by restricted interests and deficits in social skills (White, Keonig, & Scahill, 2007). Due to the deficits associated with ASD, adolescents with ASD do not typically engage in social interactions at a rate similar to their same age typicallydeveloping peers (Wagner, Cadwallader, Garza, & Cameto, 2004). This study assessed whether explicit social skills instruction in a restricted interest group in an afterschool club setting increased the frequency of specific social skills in two students identified with ASD. A multiple baseline experimental design was implemented across behaviors. During baseline measures, the participants showed minimal social interactions. During intervention, results showed increases in the social skills being measured. These results have implications for understanding factors related to developing social skills in adolescents with ASD.

Adolescence is challenging time for youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who generally exhibit a myriad of psychosocial difficulties. While this developmental period represents an important window for intervention, few evidence-based programs exist. Recent research suggests that interventions targeting emotion regulation (ER) skill deficits in ASD may represent a promising approach to promoting more favourable outcomes for these youth (Mazefsky et al., 2014). Nurturing mindfulness has been shown to be an effective means of improving ER and wellbeing in diverse child and adult populations, although research in ASD is limited. This pilot study evaluated the impact of a 9-week mindfulness intervention on the ER and socioemotional functioning of 14 adolescents (13-17 years) with high functioning ASD using a pre-test post-test design. Parents reported statistically significant changes of small to medium effect size in adolescents’ overall problem behaviours and social skills, ER, adaptability, hyperactivity, and withdrawal behaviours. Additionally, parents reported changes of small effect size that approached significance for adolescents’ anxiety symptoms and atypicality. Adolescents reported changes of small effect size that were statistically significant for anxiety symptoms and interpersonal functioning, and non-significant for depression and social stress symptoms. Changes in many parent-reported outcome variables showed moderate to strong correlations with home practice adherence and parent-reported changes in ER. Qualitative observations of program impact and social acceptability were positive and supported the quantitative findings. The results provide promising evidence for mindfulness training with youth with ASD. Implications for assessment, intervention, and future research are discussed. / October 2016

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine school psychologists' use of evidence- based practices (EBP), in general, and more specifically in the area of social skills training (SST) for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Study participants, consisting of 498 school psychologists from across the nation, participated in an online survey that gathered information about their training, attitudes, and practices. The frequency with which specific EBP practices for social skills training for students with ASD was examined, as was prediction of use of these practices. Multiple-regression analyses revealed multiple independent variables that were predictors for overall use of EBP. Results indicated that over half of the participants provide SST for students with ASD. Although the majority of participants indicated that their graduate program included at least one course with information about ASD and EBP practices, in general, nearly half indicated that their coursework did not include any courses that directly addressed social skills training for students with ASD. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to determine the extent to which the data fit the factor model. Participants' perception of the importance placed on EBP by their school district, scores on the openness subscale of the Evidence Based Practices Assessment Scale, perception of how well their graduate program prepared them in the EBP process, perception of whether they were adequately trained in the area of SST for students with ASD, and having a caseload evenly divided among settings were significant predictors of overall use of EBP.

A 4-year old child with autism was taught to make a social initiation statement following a remote-controlled tactile prompt (RCT). The RCT prompt was taught by using a time-delay procedure with written script cards containing initiation statements. Training trials occurred in 6 different play locations in the child's room. Restricted Trial training consisted of allowing the child to play independently, activating the RCT prompt and playing with the child based on any initiation until a warning to end was given. In Free Play training, the warning to end the activity was removed. The child's initiation statements increased from 0 in baseline, to spontaneous initiations in 100% of the trials in all training and generalization phases. The number of words in an initiation statement increased from 3 to 25 per trial. Spontaneous initiations in the No RCT phase generalized to the child's mother without training.