Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects the lives of 1 in 54 children in the United States. By definition, these children often have social communication deficits as well as restrictive and repetitive behaviors that are socially isolating. Inclusion of participants with disabilities such as ASD in classroom or group settings with peers is a high-priority goal for building skills that lead to independent living and higher quality of life for all. Balancing an individual’s class or group participation is not always easy with different levels of social skills, however. In a classroom, this can translate to difficulty in knowing how to participate in a way that is equal to that of their peers—oftentimes children with ASD do not realize that others also need a turn to speak or that other children are not as interested in their restricted ¬interests as they are. We used differential reinforcement and self-monitoring within an existing token system to reduce excess participation in group settings for some individuals, with the goal of better balancing opportunities for all group members to participate. Called "Stack the Deck," this simple intervention allowed for more uninterrupted instruction time with fewer talk outs and meltdowns from adolescents with ASD. Our intervention occurred in a clinical setting, a once-weekly social skills group utilizing the PEERS Social Skills manualized intervention for adolescents with ASD. Groups ran for 12–14 weeks in duration and taught skills such as how to make friends, how to enter and exit conversations, as well as how to host "get-togethers." Our sample size was 33, with 26 males and 7 females. These participants met criteria for autism spectrum disorder and/or had significant social impairment, and had age-appropriate verbal and cognitive abilities by parent report (later measured within the study). Across our A-B intervention, we saw changes over time when it came to participation rates for over-responders (participants who attempted to respond far above the group average during baseline) and under-responders (participants who attempted to respond at rates far below the group average during baseline), with no changes (the desired result) for individuals who were already participating at an appropriate rate. Over-responders showed the most significant changes. A secondary finding of reduced talk-outs overall within the groups was also found. These results suggest that a fairly simple group behavioral intervention was able to produce a group environment more conducive to direct instruction that has direct application to inclusive classrooms as well as clinical environments. Further research can determine if the effects within individuals seen in one setting carry over to others.

A number of studies have investigated the factors that lead to peer acceptance in children. Particularly, the problem-solving skills of accepted and unaccepted children have been examined, with differences being substantiated. The present study investigated the possibility that problem-solving skill differences may be attributed to varying self-efficacy levels in children. Further, the communication styles of parents of high vs. low self-efficacy children were examined by observing parent/child interactions in a problem-solving situation. The results indicated that children did not differ in their ability to identify effective solutions to problems; rather, they did differ in their perceived ability to engage in effective solutions, with high self-efficacy children choosing more appropriate solutions as those that they would actually enact. Low self-efficacy children, on the other hand, chose less appropriate solutions as those that they would engage in. Finally, it was discovered that parents of high self-efficacy children utilized more positive types of messages (praise and modeling) than did those parents of low self-efficacy children. Low self-efficacy children had parents who utilized more controlling and negative types of communication styles. This study supports the motion that parents may be a significant contributing factor in the development of their child’s self-efficacy, which in turn affects the social problem-solving skills of children.

This study examined the effects of a smoking prevention program on the acquisition of refusal skills in junior high school students. Sixty-three seventh graders were randomly assigned to a refusal skill training group (N=29) or a no treatment control group (N=34). Students' refusal skill performance was assessed pre and post training. Assessment consisted of a peer trainer offering the student a cigarette while being videotaped. The smoking refusal skill was broken down into 5 component parts: (1) eye contact; (2) upright posture; (3) voice intonation; (4) response to approach; (5) reason for refusal. Results showed significant improvement for both the training and control groups. However, a significant training by pre-post assessment interaction was also found, F (1,61) = 10.37, p < .01, which indicates that students who received training demonstrated more proficiency in refusal performance after training than those who did not. A generalization probe in the natural environment conducted seven weeks after training showed no differences between the two groups.

The aim of this thesis is to found out about what is a good treatment in the university library and what librarians can do to make the user happy. The study focused on the meeting between the doctoral student’s and the library staff, about how the doctoral student’s wanted to be treated. The study was carried out thorough a series of four qualitative interviews with doctoral student’s. The result I analyzed from the qualitative interviewers with theories. The result of this study showed that often appreciated by the user of librarians are friendly, smiles, have eye contact during the meeting and show that they are really interested in helping the user and have patience. As a result, I worked out my own model on the parts that some of them I thought were important regarding a correct user response. Then in the analysis I explain the parts in more detail.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the current diagnostic label for children and adults presenting with significant problems with attention, impulsivity and excessive activity is one of the most prevalent childhood psychiatric disorders (Barkley, 2014:3). This qualitative research study, situated at a school for children with ADHD, explores how involvement in Group Creative Music Therapy can promote social skills in six and seven year old children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Four weekly music therapy sessions were conducted with one class consisting of 10 students in the second grade. The class teacher was interviewed prior to and after the music therapy process and attended all music therapy sessions. An interesting component of this research was that the teacher was a music teacher who already had a wealth of experience of using music in her own life and with her classroom. The research data included interviews as well as video excerpts showing interaction between the children during music therapy sessions. The findings from the qualitative analysis of interview transcripts and video excerpts indicate firstly the value of music itself as a tool for promoting social skills. There were also many similarities between how the teacher and music therapist used music to benefit children socially, such as exposing the children to music from different cultures or using turn-taking or movement activities to encourage the children to work together. Secondly, this study also highlights the differences between the work of music therapists and music educators. The main differences include the distinctive aims, particularly in this study where the music therapist’s aim was the development of social skills and the teacher’s aim was music education - with social influences as an added benefit to the educational process. Based on their aims, music therapists and music teachers use alternate methods and ways of managing and drawing children in. The findings show how music therapy can influence the development of social skills in children with ADHD - as the music therapist uses specific clinical skills to help children engage freely and spontaneously with others, while also offering them new experiences of themselves and one another. Therefore, the findings also show helpful complementary relationships between music therapists and teachers, as music therapists can help teachers use tools and techniques from music therapy in their classes and teachers can also suggest certain music for therapists to utilise in therapy sessions. This study strongly advocates for both music education and music therapy, as the findings indicate that both fields are beneficial for this client group. / Mini Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Music / MMus / Unrestricted

Choice has been demonstrated to have positive effects on behavior like increasing task engagement, positive affect, and accuracy in the completion of tasks. However, the effects of choice have been primarily observed with individuals receiving behavior analytic interventions. It is unknown whether the choice of intervention modality would have similar positive effects on the implementer. Social scripts are a social skill intervention that provides a model of appropriate language through the presentation of antecedent stimuli that increase the likelihood of desired behavior in learners. Social script can be delivered in two different modalities, auditory and textual, which facilitate the choice for instructors for this study. The purpose of the study was to (a) evaluate the effects of multiple available intervention modalities on the frequency of implementation, (b) assess instructor preference of two social skill interventions, and (c) to determine the feasibility of those interventions. The results of this study indicate the multiple choices of modalities did not affect the frequency of implementation but did have an effect on instructor preference. Two instructors in this study showed a mixed preference until the choice was available and their preference switched to auditory scripts. Overall, teachers in this study rated the social script intervention highly. There was a 9.2% increase in acceptability from pre- to post-test.

Many individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have deficits in social skills (e.g., Church, Alisanski, & Amanullah, 2000;). More specifically, individuals with an ASD may have deficits in tacting and commenting on the emotions of others as well as their own (Hobson, 1986). One potential way to facilitate the acquisition of social skills by individuals with an ASD is through the use a social skill application. The OiGO© application was developed to offer a modality to allow individuals to appropriately tact and comment on emotions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether participants would learn to tact and comment on the emotional responding of other individuals using OiGO©. This study used a multiple baseline across participants with embedded probes design to assess the effects of OiGO© plus reinforcement on tacting and commenting vocally and through the use of the application. Correct vocal responding increased from baseline levels for one of three participants. In addition, all participants quickly met mastery criterion via OiGO© responding during the OiGO© plus reinforcement phase. Furthermore, responding during the generalization probes was variable. These results combined suggest that individuals with autism can quickly learn to use this application.

Orientador: Sandra Leal Calais / Resumo: A adolescência é o período de transição da infância para a vida adulta, marcado por alterações físicas, hormonais, psicológicas e cognitivas, em que o indivíduo apresenta necessidade de interação social e desenvolvimento da identidade. Nesta fase o adolescente se distancia socialmente dos pais e irmãos e aproxima-se de pares, de quem obtém ajuda para lidar com as preocupações e estresse, devido a necessidade de escolha de uma carreira, preparação para o vestibular e vida amorosa. Tais condições estressantes podem gerar transtornos psicológicos no adolescente caso não possua estratégias para gerenciá-las. É no ambiente familiar que o adolescente forma a maior parte do seu repertório de habilidades sociais que são as capacidades comportamentais em interações sociais, levando em consideração a expressão do indivíduo de forma a não ferir os próprios direitos nem os de outras pessoas. Por ser o primeiro ambiente de aprendizagem, a família é considerada como fonte de suporte e modelo, que funcionam como fatores de proteção para o desenvolvimento de transtornos psicológicos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a presença de estresse, habilidades sociais e percepção de suporte social e familiar e as relações entre si, em 240 adolescentes estudantes do ensino médio, na faixa etária de 14 a 18 anos, de escolas públicas e particulares. Para tal, foram utilizados: questionário sociodemográfico, Escala de Stress para Adolescentes (ESA), Inventário de Habilidades Sociais para Adolescente... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Adolescence is the transition period from childhood to adulthood, marked by physical, hormonal, psychological and cognitive changes, in which the individual presents a need for social interaction and development of identity. At this stage the teenager distances himself socially from parents and siblings and approaches peers, from whom he gets help to deal with worries and stress due to the need for career choice, college preparation and love life. Such stressful conditions can generate psychological disorders in adolescents if they do not have strategies to manage them. It is in the family environment that adolescents form most of their repertoire of social skills that are behavioral capacities in social interactions, taking into account the expression of the individual in a way that does not hurt their own rights or those of other people. As the first learning environment, the family is considered as a source of support and a model, which act as protective factors for the development of psychological disorders. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of stress, social skills and perception of social and family support and the relationships among themselves, in 240 adolescents of high school students, in the age group of 14 to 18 years, of public and private schools. To that end, a sociodemographic questionnaire, Stress Scale for Adolescents (ESA), Social Skills Inventory for Adolescents (IHSA), Social Support Perception Scale (EPSUS-A) and Family Support Per... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

The theme of this thesis is focused on research of social competences in vocational education. The aim of the theoretical part is to clarify the issue of social competences in various contexts. It deals with school as a social environment, general skills of a teacher and the specification of social skills needed to practice this profession. It will also describe the relationship between social skills and curricular documents and finally present expected requirements of a school management for the application of these skills. The aim of the empirical part is the research at a vocational school with regard to how the potential of social competencies of teachers is used in pedagogical activities in relation to the graduate profile. The research will take into account the results of three research methods - a document analysis, an observation and an interview. Partial objectives will focus on the learning environment, the content of the graduate profile, the work of the teacher and the view of school management on the application of social skills. Keywords competence, teacher, vocational school, social skills, social interaction

Since socialization deficits are the primary characteristic of autism spectrum disorder, attaining and maintaining employment in adulthood can prove to be problematic. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a nine-week program designed to teach workplace social skills to young adults with autism in a community setting. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze outcomes. Quantitative methods consisted of live observational behavioral coding. Qualitative measures used written intake and discharge reports, obtained from the program's coordinators, to analyze their perceptions of pre-intervention goals and post-intervention outcomes and remaining barriers related to social skills. Overall outcomes suggest the program does produce slight improvement in social skills for individuals with autism. Quantitative outcomes indicated specific improvements in engagement and quality of engagement when participants were in the presence of both coworkers and the public. Likewise, qualitative report comparisons indicated improvements in specific conversation skill areas. Based on this study's findings, schools and communities should encourage transition services to teach workplace social skills to young adults with autism in community-based settings. This type of learning experience may better prepare these young adults for successful future employment.