Social Skills for Students SSGRIN Presenter: Ron Anderson, Ph.D.

Focus of Training Created by the 3-C Institute for Social Development and routinely used in clinical practice by 3-C Family Services Social Skills Training with Students

A Tale of Two Students Reggie and his raging Rosa and her depression

The Mood Meter Pleasant Unpleasant High FEELING Low ENERGY

The 3-Cs CommunicationCooperation Confidence

Provider Training Agenda Review children’s peer relationships, including core functions and developmental changes Identify different types of peer problems and how they impact children’s functioning Learn about research supporting S.S.GRIN Interventions with Students Learn how to set-up and implement S.S.GRIN groups

Children’s Peer Relationships

Core Function: Core Function: Companionship Hanging out  Shopping  Playing sports Activities Like doing the same things

Core Function: Core Function: Intimacy Sharing private things Comfortable about revealing personal thoughts Secrets Confide

Core Function: Core Function: Reliable Alliance Someone being there for you when you need them Trust Predictability

Core Function: Core Function: Instrumental Aid Having skills to help you achieve a task Teaching Learning a skill

Core Function: Core Function: Affirmation Makes you feel like an good person “If Kenny likes me then I must be a good person”

Core Function: Core Function: Affection “You like me, I like you” Emotional connection

Core Function: Core Function: Conflict Every social relationship has conflict Natural Adaptive conflict

Developmental Shifts in Peer Relations Increasing importance of peers vs. parents

K Peers Parents Peers become increasingly important in providing companionship, support, guidance, and affirmation. Elementary and Middle Years are Pivotal for Peer Relations Patterns based on review of literature

Developmental Changes in Peer Relations Increasing importance of peers vs. parents Changes in social structure  Cliques Changes in social cognition  Social comparison  Pecking order Changes in relationship functions  Gender differences

Gender Differences Male friendships activity-centered Female friendships begin to emphasize intimacy and reliable alliance  Trust is very critical Difference emerge in middle elementary

Quality of Peer Relations Factors Promoting Positive vs. Negative Relations Companionship, Intimacy, Sharing Cooperative, Friendly, Funny, Creative, Similar Bossy, Disruptive, Intrusive, Impulsive, Withdrawn, Odd Reliable Alliance Honest, Trustworthy, Reliable, Loyal Dishonest, Manipulative, Unreliable, “Back stabber” Instrumental Aid Responsive, Flexible, Humble, Knowledgeable, Talented Rigid, Braggart, Blaming, Low cognitive skills Affirmation, Affection Respectful, Shares values, Supportive, Kind Disrespectful, Different values, Insulting, Demeaning Conflict Compromises, Good problem-solving skills, Predictable Aggressive, Demanding, Explosive, Unpredictable

Peer Rejection  Active Dislike  Avoidance Types of Peer Problems Robert, 6 th grader, came into the cafeteria for lunch. He asked a group of his classmates at a table whether he could join them and they said “Sure”. When he sat down, they all got up and went to another table.

Bullying & Victimization Types of Peer Problems Physical assaults Teasing and insults Humiliation Intimidation Spreading rumors Organized exclusion

Teasing and Ridiculing Example: Allison’s 8th grade teacher asked her to pass out books to the class. As Bob took the book from Allison, he held it at a distance and, with a disgusted look on his face, said “Yuck, might have some junk on it”. The class joined in laughing at Allison.

Social Isolation  Difficulty making friends  Difficulty keeping friends  Social withdrawal/anxiety Types of Peer Problems Shawna, 9th grader, never had many friends. She had trouble talking to other children. When someone would ask a question, she would speak too low for them to hear or would turn away. After a while, students stopped trying.

Prevalence of Peer Problems # of friends at school: 80% experience some form of bullying at school 15% are bullied regularly 12% are significantly rejected by peers 10-15% have no one to play with at school 16% say there are no children they can go to for help in school

Based on data collected in the fall and spring of third and fourth grades (total=999) 0123 Outcome: Academic Performance Disruptive Behavior Problems Self-esteem Outcome Level High Average Below Average Number of Times Rejected by Peers Impact of Peer Problems

Pathway to Dropout

Pathway to Deviance Over time, rejected children move further and further to the outskirts of the main peer group. These shifts are particularly great during transitions to middle and high school

Who are the Social Isolates?... Least Liked Dimension Most Liked Dimension Controversial Popular Rejected Neglected Most Noms Liked Least Noms John Average High Low

Key is Prevention Teasing Bullying Rejection Isolation Suicide Depression Violence Failure

S.S.GRIN (Social Skills Group Intervention)

Cognitive-behavioral Cognition Emotion Behavior Social Learning Modeling Positive Reinforcement Role Plays Social Planning/Problem Solving Teaching Methods

Suggest Group Session Structure Review the Agenda Review the Rules Report on Homework Apply skill to other situations (generalization), use prompting here (Introduce this mid to late in sessions) Introduce new skill (Cognitive learning) Role Play with leaders Have them tell what they saw Practice with role plays (use molding when needed) Reinforcement Homework

Two leaders Group leadership skills Be prepared, stay focused, reinforce participation, give feedback, build connections, use leaders as models Behavior management skills Set limits, positive reinforcement, redirection, contracting, flexible creativity Group Leadership