Social interaction and interpersonal distance in normal and behaviorally disturbed boys

Frequency of social interaction and interpersonal distance of 24 normal and 24 behaviorally disturbed white, preadolescent boys were examined. Each child's behavior was analyzed from videotapes that were recorded during four 60-min sessions, during which time the child played with the same unfamiliar peer, matched for age and emotional functioning. The results indicated that the frequency of global social interactions was a powerful discriminator between normal and disturbed boys at the older but not at the younger age levels. Proximity to peers and adults also was a powerful discriminator at both age levels. These results were discussed in relationship to the development of social skills in preadolescent children, the need to establish criteria for social competence, and the evaluation of social skills training programs from a development perspective.