Abstract
We investigated relationships among stressful lifetime life events, social skill, and behavior problems in children. Participants were 159 third graders, 138 sixth graders, and their mothers. Mothers reported on their children's life events, social skill, and behavior problems. Children self-reported on their social skill and behavior problems. Increased numbers of stressful life events significantly predicted increased behavior problems in third and sixth graders. Increased social skill significantly predicted decreased behavior problems in third and sixth graders. Social skill served a stress-protective role for third but not sixth graders; third graders with increased life events and better social skill had fewer behavior problems than their less socially skilled peers. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed, and suggestions for future resilience research are presented.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Achenbach, T. M., & Edelbrock, C. (1983).Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist and Revised Child Behavior Profile. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont.
Adams, M., & Adams, J. (1991). Life events, depression, and perceived problem solving alternatives in adolescents.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 32, 811–820.
Beardsall, L., & Dunn, J. (1992). Adversities in childhood: Siblings' experiences, and their relations to self-esteem.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 33, 349–359.
Beck, S., & Rosenberg, R. (1986). Frequency, quality, and impact of life events in self-rated depressed, behavioral-problem, and normal children,Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 863–864.
Capaldi, D. M. (1991). Co-occurrence of conduct problems and depressive symptoms in early adolescent boys: I. Familial factors and general adjustment at grade 6.Development and Psychopathology, 3, 277–300.
Coddington, R. D. (1972). The significance of life events as etiologic factors in the diseases of children, II: A study of a normal population.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 16, 205–213.
Coddington, R. D. (1984). Measuring the stressfulness of a child's environment. In J. H. Humphrey (Ed.),Stress in childhood (pp. 97–127), New York: AMS Press.
Cohen, J., & Cohen, P. (1983).Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd Ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Cowen, E. L., & Work, W. C. (1988). Resilient children, psychological wellness, and primary prevention.American Journal of Community Psychology, 16, 591–607.
Daniels, A. J. (1990). Social skills training for primary age children.Educational Psychology in Practice, 6, 159–162.
Deluty, R. H. (1979). Children's action tendency scale: A self-report measure of aggressiveness, assertiveness, and submissiveness in children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 47, 1061–1071.
Deluty, R. H. (1983). Children's evaluation of aggressive, assertive, and submissive responses.Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 12, 124–129.
Dubow, E. F., & Tisak, J. (1989). The relation between stressful life events and adjustment in elementary school children: The role of social support and social problem-solving skills.Child Development, 60, 1312–1423.
Dunn, J., & McGuire, S. (1992). Sibling and peer relationships in childhood.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 33, 67–105.
East, P. L., & Rook, K. S. (1992). Compensatory patterns of support among children's peer relationships: A test using school friends, nonschool friends, and siblings.Developmental Psychology, 28, 163–172.
Forehand, R., Wierson, M., Thomas, A. M., & Armistead, L. (1990). Interparental conflict and paternal visitation following divorce: The interactive effects on adolescent competence.Child Study Journal, 20, 193–202.
Garmezy, N. (1988). The role of competence in the study of children and adolescents under stress. In B. H. Schneider, G. Attili, J. Nadel, & R. P. Weissberg (Eds.),Social competence in developmental perspective (pp. 24–40). Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic.
Garmezy, N., Masten, A. S., & Tellegen, A. (1984). The study of stress and competence: A building block for developmental psychology.Child Development, 55, 97–111.
Goldstein, A. P., & Glick, B. (1987).Aggression replacement training: A comprehensive intervention for aggressive youth. Champaign, IL: Research Press.
Goodyer, I. M., & Altham, P. M. (1991a). Lifetime exit events and recent social and family adversities in anxious and depressed school-age children and adolescents: I.Journal of Affetive Disorders, 21, 219–228.
Goodyer, I. M., & Altham, P. M. (1991b). Litetime exit events and recent social and family adversities in anxious and depressed school-age children and adolescents: I.Journal of Affective Disorders, 21, 219–228.
Goodyer, I. M., & Altham, P. M. (1991b). Litetime exit events and recent social and family adversities in anxious and depressed school-age children and adolescents: II.Journal of Affective Disorders, 21, 229–238.
Gresham, F. M., & Elliott, S. N. (1990).Social skills rating system manual. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
Holmes, T., & Rahe, R. (1967). The social readjustment scale.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 11, 213–218.
Hoyt, L. A., Cowen, E. L., Pedro-Carroll, J. L., & Alpert-Gillis, L. J. (1990). Anxiety and depression in young children on divorce.Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 19, 26–32.
Hymel, S., Rubin, K. H., Rowden, L., & LeMare, L. (1990). Children's peer relationships: Longitudinal prediction of internalizing and externalizing problems from middle to late childhood.Child Development, 61, 2004–2021.
Johnson, J. H. (1986).Life events as stressors in childhood and adolescence, Vol. 8, Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Kovacs, M. (1983).The children's depression inventory: A self-rated depression scale for school-aged youngsters. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Unpublished manuscript.
Luthar, S. S., & Zigler, E. (1991). Vulnerability and competence: A review of research on resilience in childhood.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 61, 6–22.
Matson, J. L., & Ollendick, T. (1988).Enhancing children's social skills: Assessment and training. New York: Pergamon Press.
McGinnis, E., & Goldstein, A. P. (1984).Skill streaming the elementary school child: A guide for teaching prosocial skills. Champaign, IL: Research Press.
Rutter, M. (1979). Protective factors in children's responses to stress and disadvantage. In M. W. Kent & J. E. Rolf (Eds.),Primary prevention of psychopathology: social competence in children, Vol. 3 (pp. 49–74). London: University Press.
Rutter, M. (1990). Psychosocial resilience and protective mechanisms. In J. Rolf, A. S. Masten, D. Cicchetti, K. H. Nuechterlein, & S. Weintraub (Eds.),Risk and protective factors in the development of psychopathology (pp. 181–214). Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.
Spielberger, C. D. (1973).STAIC preliminary manual. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Spirito, A., Hart, K., Overholser, J., & Halverson, J. (1990). Social skills and depression in adolescent suicide attempters.Adolescence, 25, 543–552.
Thoits, P. A. (1983). Dimensions of life events that influence psychological distress: An evaluation and synthesis of the literature. In H. B. Kaplan (Ed.),Psychological stress: Trends in theory and research (pp. 33–103). New York: Plenum Press.
Vinnick, L. A., & Erickson, M. T. (1992). Relationships among accumulated lifetime life events, prosocial skills, and behavior problems in elementary school children.Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1, 141–154.
Wertlieb, D., Weigel, C., Springer, T., & Feldstein, M. (1987). Temperament as a moderator of children's stressful experiences.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57, 234–245.
Wise, K. L., Bundy, K. A., Bundy, E. A., & Wise, L. A. (1991). Social skills training for young adolescents.Adolescence, 26, 233–241.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vinnick, L.A., Erickson, M.T. Social skill in third and sixth grade children: A moderator of lifetime stressful life events and behavior problems?. J Child Fam Stud 3, 263–282 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02234686
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02234686