Social Skills Instruction for Students at Risk for Antisocial Behavior: The Effects of Small-Group Instruction

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of social skills instruction for seven elementary-age students at risk for antisocial behavior who were unresponsive to a schoolwide primary intervention program. Students received instruction in social skills in a small-group setting over a 10-week period. A comprehensive list of acquisition deficits was generated for each student using an empirically validated assessment tool. These acquisition deficits became the core content of each intervention group. Results revealed lasting decreases in both disruptive behaviors in the classroom and negative social interactions on the playground. Students also experienced increases in percentage of academic engaged time. Findings from a social validity measure indicated that students viewed the intervention procedures as acceptable and reportedly used the newly acquired skills in multiple settings. Limitations are discussed, and directions for future research are provided.