Skip to main content

The Development of Social Skills in Children

  • Chapter
Social Behavior in Autism

Part of the book series: Current Issues in Autism ((CIAM))

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a tremendous surge of interest in the development of children’s peer relationships and social competence. Although children’s peer interactions have been the focus of considerable attention since the 1930s and 1940s, this area is now being explored with renewed vigor by clinical, developmental, and behavioral investigators.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Allen, K. E., Hart, B., Buell, J. S., Harris, F. R., & Wolf M. M. (1964). Effects of social reinforcement of isolate behavior of a nursery school child. Child Development, 35, 511–518.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asher, S. R. (1983). Social competence and peer status: Recent advances and future directions. Child Development, 54, 1427–1434.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakeman, R., & Brownlee, J. R. (1980). The strategic use of parallel play: A sequential analysis. Child Development, 51, 873–878.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, K. E. (1971). Preschool play norms: A replication. Developmental Psychology, 5, 99–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barton, E. J., & Bevirt, J. (1981). Generalization of sharing across groups. Assessment of group composition with preschool children. Behavior Modification, 5, 503–522.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bierman, K. L., & Furman, W. (1984). The effects of social skills training and peer involvement on the social adjustment of preadolescents. Child Development, 55, 151–162.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bonney, M. E. (1955). Social behavior differences between second-grade children of high and low sociometric status. Journal of Educational Psychology, 48, 481–495.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryan, T. H. (1976). Peer popularity of learning disabled children: A replication. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 9, 307–311.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charlesworth, R., & Hartup, W. (1967). Positive social reinforcement in the nursery school peer group. Child Development, 38, 993–1002.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coie, J. D., & Dodge, K. A. (1983). Continuities and changes in children’s social status: A five-year longitudinal study. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 29, 261–282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, E. L., Pederson, A., Babigian, H., Izzo, L. D., & Trost, M. A. (1973). Long-term follow-up of early detected vulnerable children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 41, 438–446.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Curcio, F. (1978). Sensorimotor functioning and communication in mute autistic children. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 8, 281–292.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, G., & Mesibov, G. B. (1983). in C. E. Walker & M. C. Roberts (Eds.), Handbook of clinical child psychiatry (pp. 543–572). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, K. A. (1983). Behavioral antecedents of peer social status. Child Development, 54, 1386–1399.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, K. A., Schlundt, D. C., Schocken, L, & Delugach, J. D. (1983). Social competence and chlidren’s sociometric status: The role of peer group entry strategies. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 29, 309–336.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eckerman, C. O., & Stein, M. R. (1982). The toddler’s emerging interactive skills. in K. H. Rubin & H. S. Ross (Eds.), Peer relationships and social skills in childhood (pp. 41–71). New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eckerman, C. O., Whatley, J. L., & Kutz, S. L. (1975). Growth of social play with peers during the second year of life. Developmental Psychology11, 42–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evers, W. L., & Schwarz, J. C. (1973). Modifying social withdrawal in preschoolers: The effects of filmed modeling and teacher praise. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1, 248–256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fein, G. G. (1981). Pretend play in childhood: An integrative review. Child Development, 52, 1095–1118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fein, G. G., Moorin, E. R., & Enslein, J. (1982). Pretense and peer behavior: An intersectoral analysis. Human Development, 25, 392–406.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrari, M. (1982). Childhood autism: Deficits of communication and symbolic development. I. Distinctions from language disorders. Journal of Communication Disorders, 15, 191–208.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Field, T. (1979). Games parents play with normal and high-risk infants. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 10, 41–48.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finkelstein, N. W., Dent, C, Gallagher, K., & Ramey, C. T. (1978). Social behavior of infants and toddlers in a daycare environment. Developmental Psychology, 14, 257–262.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garvey, C. (1974). Some properties of social play. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 20, 163–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garvey, C. (1975). Requests and responses in children’s speech. Journal of Child Language, 2, 41–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garvey, C., & Ben Debba, M. (1974). Effects of age, sex, and partner on children’s dyadic speech. Child Development, 45, 1159–1161.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garvey, C, & Hogan, R. (1973). Social speech and social interaction: Egocentrism revisited. Child Development, 44, 562–568.

    Google Scholar 

  • Girgus, J. S., & Wolf, J. (1975). Age changes in the ability to encode social class. Developmental Psychology, 11, 118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gottman, J. M., Gonso, J., & Rasmussen, B. (1975). Social interaction, social competence, and friendship in children. Child Development, 46, 709–718.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gottman, J. M., Gonso, J., & Schuler, P. (1976). Teaching social skills to isolated children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 4, 179–198.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Greenwood, C. R., Walker, H. M., Todd, N. M., & Hops, H. (1981). Normative and descriptive analysis of preschool free play social interaction rates. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 6, 343–367.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gresham, F. M., & Nagle, R. J. (1980). Social skills training with children: Responsiveness to modeling and coaching as a function of peer orientation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48, 718–729.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guralnick, M. J., & Paul-Brown, D. (1984). Communicative adjustments during behavior-request episodes among children at different developmental levels. Child Development, 55, 911–919.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartup, W. W. (1983). Peer relations. in P. H. Mussen (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4, pp. 103–196). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartup, W. W., Glazer, J. A., & Charlesworth, R. (1967). Peer reinforcement and sociometric status. Child Development, 38, 1017–1024.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hendrickson, J. M., Strain, P. S., Tremblay, A., & Shores, R. E. (in press). Functional effects of peer social intiations on withdrawn preschool children. Behavioral Modification.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hops, H. (1983). Children’s social competence and skill: Current research practices and future directions. Behavioral Therapy, 14, 3–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howes, C. (1980). Peer play scale as an index of complexity of peer interaction. Developmental Psychology, 16, 371–372.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howes, C. (1983). Patterns of friendship. Child Development, 54, 1041–1053.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karabenick, J. D., & Miller, S. A. (1977). The effects of age, sex, and listener feedback on grade school children’s referential communication. Child Development, 48, 678–683.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keane, S. P., & Conger, J. C. (1981). The implications of communication development for social skills training. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 6, 369–381.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keenan, E. O., & Klein, E. (1975). Coherency in children’s discourse. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 4, 365–380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller, M. G., & Carlson, P. M. (1974). The use of symbolic modeling to promote social skills in children with low levels of social responsiveness. Child Development, 45, 912–919.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kirby, F. D., & Toler, Jr., H. C (1970). Modification of preschool isolate behavior: A case study. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 3, 309–314.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ladd, G. W. (1981). Effectiveness of a social learning method for enhancing children’s social interaction and peer acceptance. Child Development, 52, 171–178.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • La Greca, A. M., & Mesibov, G. B. (1981). Facilitating interpersonal functioning with peers in learning-disabled children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 14, 197–199, 238.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • La Greca, A. M., & Santogrossi, D. A. (1980). Social skills training with elementary school students: A behavioral group approach. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48, 220–228.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, L. C. (1973, August). Social encounters of infants: The beginnings of popularity. Paper presented at the meeting of the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development, Ann Arbor, MI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leung, E. H. L., & Rheingold, H. L. (1981). Development of pointing as a social gesture. Developmental Psychology, 17, 215–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lever, J. (1976). Sex differences in the games children play. Social Problems, 23, 478–487.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lever, J. (1978). Sex differences in the complexity of children’s play and games. American Sociological Review, 43, 471–483.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levine, M. H. & Sutton-Smith, B. (1973). Effects of age, sex, and task on visual behavior during dyadic interaction. Developmental Psychology, 9, 400–405.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masur, E. F. (1978). Preschool boys’ speech modifications: The effect of listeners’ linguistic levels and conversational responsiveness. Child Development, 49, 924–927.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCune-Nicolich, L. (1981). Toward symbolic functioning: Structure of early pretend games and potential parallels with language. Child Development, 52, 785–797.

    Google Scholar 

  • McFall, R. M. (1982). A review and reformulation of the concept of social skills. Behavioral Assessment, 4, 1–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGraw, L. W., & Tolbert, J. W. (1953). Sociometric status and athletic ability of junior high school boys. Research Quarterly, 24, 72–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minkin, N., Braukmann, C. J., Minkin, B. L., Timbers, G. D., Timbers, B. J., Fixsen, D. L., Phillips, E. L., & Wolf, M. M. (1976). The social validation and training of conversational skills. Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis, 9, 127–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller, E. (1972). The maintenance of verbal exchanges between young children. Child Development, 43, 930–938.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller, E., Bleier, M., Krakow, J., Hegedus, K., & Cournoyer, P. (1977). The development of peer verbal interaction among two-year old boys. Child Development, 48, 284–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller, E., & Brenner, J. (1977). The origins of social skills and interaction among playgroup toddlers. Child Development, 48, 854–861.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller, E. and Lucas, T. (1975). A developmental analysis of peer interaction among toddlers. in M. Lewis & L. Rosenblum (Eds.), Peer relations and friendship. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor, R. D. (1969). Modification and social withdrawal through symbolic modeling. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2, 15–22.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oden, S., & Asher, S. R. (1977). Coaching children in social skills for friendship making. Child Development, 48, 495–506.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parten, M. B. (1932). Social participation among pre-school children. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 27, 243–269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paul, R., & Cohen, D. J. (1982). Communication development and its disorders: A psycholinguistic perspective. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 8, 279–293.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Piaget, J. (1926). The language and thought of the child. New York: Harcourt & Brace.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piaget, J. (1962). Play, dreams, and imitation in childhood. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Putallaz, M. (1983). Predicting children’s sociometric status from their behavior. Child Development, 54, 1417–1426.

    Google Scholar 

  • Putallaz, M., & Gottman, J. M. (1981). An interactional model of children’s entry into peer groups. Child Development, 52, 986–994.

    Google Scholar 

  • Putallaz, M., & Gottman, J. M. (1982). Conceptualizing social competence in children. in P. Karoly & J. J. Steffen (Eds.), Advances in child behavior analysis and therapy (Vol. 2, pp. 1–37). New York: Gardner Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radke-Yarrow, M., Zahn-Waxler, C., & Chapman, M. (1983). Children’s prosocial dispositions and behavior. in P. H. Mussen (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 4, pp. 469–545). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Redman, T. A., & La Greca, A. M. (1983). Sex differences in children’s social and play behavior: The effects of play settings. Unpublished manuscript, University of Miami.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reisman, J. M., & Shorr, S. I. (1978). Friendship claims and expectations among children and adults. Child Development, 49, 913–916.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ricks, D. M., & Wing, L. (1976). Language, communication, and the use of symbols. in L. Wing (Ed.), Early childhood autism (pp. 93–134). London: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roff, M., Sells, S. B., & Golden, M. M. (1972). Social adjustment and personality development in children. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers-Warren, A., & Baer, D. M. (1976). Correspondence between saying and doing: Teaching children to share and praise. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 9, 335–354.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, H. S. (1982). Establishment of social games among toddlers. Developmental Psychology, 18, 509–518.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross, H. S., & Goldman, B. M. (1976). Establishing new social relations in infancy. in T. Alloway, L. Krames, & P. Pliner (Eds.), Advances in communication and affect (Vol. 4). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross, H. S., Lollis, S. P., & Elliot, C. (1982). Toddler-peer communication. in K. H. Rubin & H. S. Ross (Eds.), Peer relationships and social skills in childhood (pp. 73–98). New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, K. H. (1982). Social and social-cognitive developmental characteristics of young isolate, normal, and sociable children. in K. H. Rubin & H. S. Ross (Eds.), Peer relationships and social skills in childhood (pp. 353–374). New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, K. H., & Daniels-Beirness, T. (1983). Concurrent and predictive correlates of sociometric status in kindergarten and grade 1 children. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 29, 337–351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, K. H., Fein, G. G., & Vandenberg, B. (1983). Play. in P. H. Mussen (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology (Vol. 3, pp. 693–774). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, K. H., & Maioni, T. L. (1975). Play preference and its relationship to egocentrism, popularity and classification skills in preschoolers. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 21, 171–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, K. H., Maioni, T. L., & Hornung, M. (1976). Free-play behaviors in middle and lower class preschoolers: Parten and Piaget revisited. Child Development, 47, 414–419.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, K. H., Watson, K. S., & Jambor, T. W. (1978). Free-play behavior in preschool and kindergarten children. Child Development, 49, 534–536.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1978a). Diagnosis and definition. in M. Rutter & E. Schopler (Eds.), Autism: A reappraisal of concepts and treatment (pp. 1–25). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1978b). Language disorder and infantile autism. in M. Rutter & E. Schopler (Eds.), Autism: A reappraisal of concepts and treatment (pp. 85–104). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Savitzky, J. C., & Watson, M. J. (1975). Patterns of proxemic behavior among preschool children. Representative Research in Social Psychology, 6, 109–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, C. R., & Paris, S. G. (1984). The development of verbal communicative skills in children. in H. W. Reese (Ed.), Advances in Child Development and Behavior, 18, 1–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shatz, M., & Gelman, R. (1973). The development of communication skills: Modifications in the speech of young children as a function of the listener. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 38(5, Serial No. 152).

    Google Scholar 

  • Smilansky, S. (1968). The effects of sociodramatic play on disadvantaged preschool children. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, P. K. (1978). A longitudinal study of social participation in preschool children: Solitary and parallel play reexamined. Developmental Psychology, 14, 517–523.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spilton, D., & Lee, L. C. (1977). Some determinants of effective communication in four-year olds. Child Development, 48, 968–977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strain, P. S. (1977). An experimental analysis of peer social initiations on the behavior of withdrawn preschool children: Some training and generalization effects. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 5, 445–455.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Strain, P. S., & Cooke, T. P. (1976). An observational investigation of two elementary-age autistic children during free-play. Psychology in the Schools, 13, 82–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strain, P. S., Kerr, M. M., & Ragland, E. U. (1979). Effects of peer-mediated social initiations and prompting/reinforcement procedures on the social behavior of autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 9, 41–54.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Strain, P. S., Shores, R. E., & Timm, M. A. (1977). Effects of peer social initiations on the behavior of withdrawn preschool children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 10, 289–298.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tremblay, A., Hendrickson, J. M., Strain, P. S., & Shores, R. E. (1980). The activity context of preschool children’s social interactions: A comparison of high and low social interactors. Psychology in the Schools, 17, 380–385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tremblay, A., Strain, P. S., Hendrickson, J. M., & Shores, R. E. (1981). Social interactions of normal preschool children. Behavior Modification, 5, 237–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vandell, D. L., & Wilson, K. S. (1982). Social interaction in the first year: Infants’ social skills with peers versus mother. in K. H. Rubin & H. S. Ross (Eds.), Peer relationships and social skills in childhood (pp. 187–208). New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waldrop, M. F., & Halverson, C. F., Jr. (1975). Intensive and extensive peer behavior: Longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses. Child Development, 46, 19–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welkowitz, J., Cariffe, G., & Feldstein, S. (1976). Conversational congruence as a criterion of socialization in children. Chid Development, 47, 269–272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellman, H. M, & Lempers, J. D. (1977). The naturalistic communicative abilities of two-year olds. Child Development, 48, 1052–1057.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiley, P. D. (1983). Development of strategies for coping with peer conflict in children from first through fifth grade. in R. K. Ullmann (Chair), Assessment of children s social knowledge and attitudes: Coping with peer conflict. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis, Milwaukee.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wing, L., Gould, J., Yeates, S. R., & Brierly, L. M. (1977). Symbolic play in severely mentally retarded and in autistic children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 18, 167–178.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1986 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Stone, W.L., La Greca, A.M. (1986). The Development of Social Skills in Children. In: Schopler, E., Mesibov, G.B. (eds) Social Behavior in Autism. Current Issues in Autism. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2242-7_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2242-7_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-2244-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-2242-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics