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Evaluating the generality and social acceptability of early friendship skills

Ciobha A McKeown1, Kevin C Luczynski1, Robert K Lehardy1

  • 1University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute.

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|June 2, 2021
PubMed

Insights

This study evaluated teaching friendship skills to young children, including those with developmental disabilities. While 1-to-1 teaching improved skills with adults, peer interaction required additional strategies for effective prosocial behavior.

Area of Science:

  • Childhood Development
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Applied Behavior Analysis

Background:

  • Prosocial skills are crucial for childhood development and socially desirable behaviors.
  • The Preschool Life Skills program's friendship unit aims to teach these skills but is understudied with inconsistent outcomes.
  • Previous research indicates a need for effective methods to teach and generalize prosocial behaviors in young children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate procedures for teaching friendship skills to children with and without developmental disabilities in an applied setting.
  • To assess the promotion of these friendship skills in interactions with same-aged peers.
  • To identify necessary refinements for improving the social acceptability and durability of prosocial skills.

Main Methods:

  • Four children, with and without developmental disabilities, participated in the study.
  • Friendship skills were taught in a 1-to-1 format, incorporating tangible reinforcement when necessary.
  • The study assessed skill acquisition with an adult and generalization to peer interactions.

Main Results:

  • The 1-to-1 teaching format with tangible reinforcement was effective in increasing children's friendship skills with an adult.
  • Additional strategies beyond the initial teaching were required to promote prosocial behavior with a peer.
  • Modest and inconsistent outcomes were observed, highlighting the need for further procedural refinement.

Conclusions:

  • Teaching friendship skills in a 1-to-1 format can enhance prosocial behavior with adults for young children.
  • Generalizing these skills to peer interactions necessitates further intervention development and specific tactics.
  • Refinements in teaching procedures are needed to improve the social acceptability and long-term effectiveness of prosocial skills.

Keywords:
behavioral skills trainingfriendship skillsgeneralitypeerspreschool life skillsprosocial skills

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