Assessment of Social Skills

Duncan McGregorJuly 2015Assessment of Social SkillsModels of Social Skills DevelopmentComponent ModelSocial skills are discrete, observable units of learned behaviourverbal and non-verbalIncludes:-eye contact- facial expressions- greetings- polite gestures (excuse me, thank you)- listening and responding- turn-takingEvaluation strategies include:- observation, checklistsModels of Social Skills DevelopmentProcess ModelSocial skills are combinations of actions or sequences of behaviours that constitute social encounters.Appropriate actions are based on rules set by peers, adults and the culture in which the person lives.Rules are learned through experience and observation.Requires more sophisticated abilities to evaluate situations and respond appropriately.Evaluation strategies include- problem-solving scenarios- situational role-playingModels of Social Skills DevelopmentTrait modelPeople are born with specific traits that cannot be changed.Model not widely used- not backed up by research- not useful to usSome personality traits are reflective of the students- culture- environment- biological make-upAssessment Techniquesobservationinterviewssituational role-playsproblem-solving scenariosstudent self-evaluationassessment checklists

(from Focused On: Social Skills (Sacks & Wolffe, 2000) AFB PressAssessment ToolsSocial Skills Assessment Tool for Children with Visual Impairments (McCallum & Sacks, 1994)Independent Living: A Curriculum with Adaptations for Students with Visual Impairments (Lumiet & Levack, 1992) TSBVIEVALS (TSBVI, 2007)