What are Social Skills?
Social skills have been defined as "socially acceptable learned behaviors that enable a person to interact with others in ways that elicit positive responses and assist in avoiding negative responses" (Elliott, Racine, & Busse, 1995, p. 1009). Social skill deficits may be separated into four broad categories of social functioning: 1) nonverbal communication, 2) social initiation, 3) social reciprocity, and 4) social cognition. Those with nonverbal communication problems may have difficulty reading and understanding the nonverbal cues of others and/or clearly expressing thoughts, feelings, and intentions through facial expressions, gestures, and body language. Those with social initiation difficulties may either have a hard time initiating interactions with others due to fear, anxiety, or apathy regarding social interactions; or they may initiate interactions frequently, but their initiations are often ill timed and ill conceived. Those with social reciprocity difficulties may engage in one-sided interactions in which they are either doing all the talking or fail to respond to the social initiations of others and to build on conversations with others. Finally, those with social cognition difficulties may have trouble with knowing and understanding social norms, customs, and values, perspective taking (empathy), and/or self-awareness in social situations.
What is Social Skills Training?
Social skills training help adults, adolescents, and children build confidence in order to be effective in various social situations. Through social skills training, an individual will learn to improve on his/her 1) instrumental skills (i.e., eye contact, greeting with a handshake, smiling, turn taking, or starting a conversation), 2) fund of social knowledge (i.e., unwritten social norms and codes of conduct that requires an ability to imagine the expectations of others), 3) social cognition (i.e., the ability to assess the social context of a situation, observe the verbal and nonverbal behavior of other people, infer their mental states, understand what is expected, and then carry it out). Social cognition is the most complex set of skills.
Incorporating Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills and Assertiveness Training
Besides social skills, it is important for individuals to learn how to communicate affectively. Assertiveness skills training involves learning specific techniques on how to set and maintain personal boundaries without becoming inaccessible, become more genuine and open in relationships without fearing attack, and defend oneself when being criticized or asked to submit to unreasonable requests. Individuals learn how to strengthen current relationships, find and build new ones, and end hopeless relationships.
Social skills have been defined as "socially acceptable learned behaviors that enable a person to interact with others in ways that elicit positive responses and assist in avoiding negative responses" (Elliott, Racine, & Busse, 1995, p. 1009). Social skill deficits may be separated into four broad categories of social functioning: 1) nonverbal communication, 2) social initiation, 3) social reciprocity, and 4) social cognition. Those with nonverbal communication problems may have difficulty reading and understanding the nonverbal cues of others and/or clearly expressing thoughts, feelings, and intentions through facial expressions, gestures, and body language. Those with social initiation difficulties may either have a hard time initiating interactions with others due to fear, anxiety, or apathy regarding social interactions; or they may initiate interactions frequently, but their initiations are often ill timed and ill conceived. Those with social reciprocity difficulties may engage in one-sided interactions in which they are either doing all the talking or fail to respond to the social initiations of others and to build on conversations with others. Finally, those with social cognition difficulties may have trouble with knowing and understanding social norms, customs, and values, perspective taking (empathy), and/or self-awareness in social situations.
What is Social Skills Training?
Social skills training help adults, adolescents, and children build confidence in order to be effective in various social situations. Through social skills training, an individual will learn to improve on his/her 1) instrumental skills (i.e., eye contact, greeting with a handshake, smiling, turn taking, or starting a conversation), 2) fund of social knowledge (i.e., unwritten social norms and codes of conduct that requires an ability to imagine the expectations of others), 3) social cognition (i.e., the ability to assess the social context of a situation, observe the verbal and nonverbal behavior of other people, infer their mental states, understand what is expected, and then carry it out). Social cognition is the most complex set of skills.
Incorporating Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills and Assertiveness Training
Besides social skills, it is important for individuals to learn how to communicate affectively. Assertiveness skills training involves learning specific techniques on how to set and maintain personal boundaries without becoming inaccessible, become more genuine and open in relationships without fearing attack, and defend oneself when being criticized or asked to submit to unreasonable requests. Individuals learn how to strengthen current relationships, find and build new ones, and end hopeless relationships.
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