Social Skills and Medical Responsibility Across Development in Youth With Spina Bifida

Objective To examine the predictive role of social skills in youth with spina bifida (SB) on growth in medical responsibility across development. Methods As part of a larger, longitudinal study, 140 youth with SB were assessed across four time points (ages 8–22 across time points). Mixed-effects models were investigated for change with: (a) no predictors (i.e., change in medical responsibility across age; time was examined using the participant’s age, centered at 11.5 years); (b) social variables (i.e., observed social behaviors, parent- and teacher-reported social skills) as predictors; and (c) social variables as predictors with intelligence quotient, lesion level, and sex as covariates. Results Significant growth with age was identified for medical responsibility (p < .0001). Observed, parent-reported, and teacher-reported social skills did not significantly predict this growth; however, all three predicted the intercept for medical responsibility at 11.5 years of age (ps ≤ .047). Parent-reported social skills remained a significant predictor of the intercept at 11.5 years of age when including the covariates (p = .008). Conclusions Children with SB who exhibited more positive social skills were more likely to a have higher level of medical responsibility in late childhood, but higher levels of social skills were not associated with a more rapid increase in responsibility over time. Identifying existing social strengths and promoting the practice of prosocial skills may have additional benefits to children with SB, including their acquisition of medical responsibility.

Patterns of Social-Emotional Needs and Trajectories of Aggression and Substance Use Among Middle School Boys

Co-occurring social-emotional problems are associated with increased risk of aggression and substance use. However, few studies examine their configurational patterns. This study identifies patterns of co-occurring social skills, anxiety, learning, and conduct problems among 2,632 urban boys at entry into sixth grade, and their related aggression and substance use trajectories through eighth grade. Latent class analysis revealed four patterns at school entry: “low-all,” “poor social skills,” “positive social skills,” and “high all.” Findings point to important variation in risk. Problem behaviors increased the least through middle school for the “low-all” pattern. The “positive social skills” pattern had an average increase, while the “poor social skills” pattern had higher levels of problem behaviors in sixth and seventh grade. The “high all” showed the fastest increase in problem behaviors and the highest levels in eighth grade. Discussion focuses on implications for a multi-tiered school-based system of supports for behavioral risk management.

Supporting Executive Function Skills in Early Childhood: Using a Peer Buddy Approach for Community, Confidence, and Citizenship

<p>This article provides a descriptive overview of a peer buddy program designed to develop and support young children’s executive functioning in early childhood classrooms. The author defines and categorizes executive function skills and analyzes their development in early childhood and benefits in the continued academic success of young children. The steps in creating a peer buddy program are explained, and a framework is provided for teachers to help the entire class develop effective executive function skills while facilitating positive social skills for classroom community building and citizenship. By supporting young children in their efforts to develop stronger executive function skills, teachers build resilience and help them discover their strengths for facilitating social interactions, problem-solving skills, and confidence in cognitive decision making to be successful citizens at home and in school.</p>

Model Konseling Keterampilan Hidup Dalam Meningkatkan Kemampuan Hubungan Sosial Santri (Studi di Pondok Pesantren Babussalam Kabupaten Kapuas )

One of the cultural bases of pesantren is a form of pesantren education that is characterized by traditionalism. Islamic boarding schools as one of the educational institutions where students learn social skills should continuously improve the way to help students develop positive social skills, both within the pesantren and in the community. In implementation, social skills do not sufficiently ensure the success of the pesantren; interventions are not limited to teaching and training for students; but pesantren should develop an environmental culture that facilitates by instilling an increase in social skills into a comprehensive and disciplined pesantren management system, emphasizing relationship-bulding between students; religious teachers and pesantren leaders (Kiyai) and between pesantren and families, as well as pesantren provide effective behavioral management and academic instruction. The concept and stages of counseling life skills within a santussalam Babussalam district of Kapuas Regency are new things that exist in the world of messaging, including components to develop relationships, identify and clarify problems, assess and redefine problems in the form of skills, formulate goals and plan interventions, intervene to develop self-helping skills, and end and consolidate self-help skills. The manifestation of the students' social relations abilities at the Babussalam Islamic boarding school can be seen in the Ability to Empower and Build Skills.

Introducing Cool School

The need to play is primeval in human beings, at least as strong as the urge to fight. While the larger gaming community has traditionally focused on the fairly lucrative potential of exploiting the urge to fight in the form of violent and destructive war games, the “Serious Games” segment has become aware of the power of applying this technology “beyond entertainment” to advance social good. So far most of this work has focused on the areas of civics, health, education and NGO policy advocacy. Relatively little has been explored in the crucial domain of conflict resolution, especially as it pertains to promoting positive social skills in childhood. The authors seek to address this important need by offering a first empirical analysis of the impact that can be had from a new digital game designed to teach conflict resolution to children: Cool School: Where Peace Rules. This enjoyable interactive PC based game has already furnished visible and inspiring evidence of just how games can help children learn not to fight, but rather to negotiate, compromise and consider other perspectives, even at an early age. They hope to inspire further research and reflection in this area, as well as wider distribution of this particular new game.

Common Courtesies: Teaching Young People American Etiquette Through 4-H

The new youth resource guide, “Common Courtesies and First Impressions: A 4-H Life Skills Activity Guide to Modern American Etiquette,” is designed to help teenagers understand the significance and positive impact of using proper etiquette in today’s society. Though designed with 4-H members in mind, the guide employs the social theory of learning by emphasizing learning in a social setting with a group of one’s peers. It could be employed easily in any youth group setting, including Campfire, Boy & Girl Scouts, or Parks & Rec. It will help to build positive social skills by providing answers to such questions as how to behave and react in social situations.

Government & Legislative Update

This report describes a program of mainstreaming multi handicapped children at the elementary level. The program is designed to meet children's individual needs while developing positive social skills, self-concept, communication skills, and daily living skills at each child's developmental level in academic, social, and emotional areas.

Improving the self-concept and social interaction of low incidence children in a rural elementary school through education in the least restrictive environment

This report describes a program of mainstreaming multi handicapped children at the elementary level. The program is designed to meet children's individual needs while developing positive social skills, self-concept, communication skills, and daily living skills at each child's developmental level in academic, social, and emotional areas.