Diagnosis-specific social skills training with peer-nominated aggressive-disruptive and sensitive-isolated preadolescents.

The differential response of peer-nominated aggressive-disruptive and sensitive-isolated preadolescents to social skills training was investigated. In addition, two forms of intervention were compared: diagnosis-specific treatment (training tailored to the needs identified as characteristics of the particular diagnosis, aggressive or withdrawn) and crossover treatment (training tailored to the needs of the opposite diagnosis). Ninety low social status preadolescents were identified by screening 455 grade six students with self- and peer-ratings. Teacher ratings were then used to determine areas of specific skill deficit in the two populations of peer-nominated socially rejected preadolescents (aggressive-disruptive versus sensitive-isolated), and intervention programs were developed to address those deficits. Following diagnosis-specific treatment the peer-rated likeability and the social self-perception of both the aggressive-disruptive and the sensitive-isolated targets showed significant improvement. These improvements were effectively maintained at follow-up by the aggressive-disruptive targets but not by the sensitive-isolates. Similarly, following diagnosis-specific treatment, the peer-rated aggression score of the aggressive-disruptive targets, and the peer-rated social withdrawal score of the sensitive-isolated targets improved (i.e., diminished) significantly. Both groups effectively maintained these changes at follow-up. Crossover treatment effects were significantly weaker. Neither the peer-rated aggression sore of the aggressive-disruptive targets nor the peer-rated social withdrawal score of the sensitive-isolated targets changed significantly following crossover treatments. As well, while significant improvements were recorded immediately following crossover treatment in the peer-rated likeability of the aggressive-disruptive targets, and in the social self-perception of the sensitive-isolates, in neither case were the changes maintained to follow-up. The findings indicated that the benefits derived in social skills training were largely maintained at one year follow-up, despite the change of setting and peer group. Further, the results provide support for the hypothesis that subgroups of socially rejected preadolescents benefit differentially from social skills training. Support for tailoring intervention to meet the needs of these subgroups remains somewhat more tentative but nonetheless is evident. As well, the findings suggest that social withdrawal may be more refractory to intervention than studies conducted with younger participants with this diagnosis would suggest. (Abstract shortened by UMI.