Social Competence as a Multifaceted Construct: How do Students with Learning Disabilities Fare?

1994 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 253-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Vaughn ◽  
Diane Haager

This article summarizes and extends the findings from a prospective, longitudinal study that examined the social competence of students with learning disabilities (LD) from kindergarten through fifth grade. Four components that represent a model of social competence were measured: peer relations, social cognition, behavior problems, and social skills. Findings revealed that over time youngsters with LD demonstrated the same trends on all aspects of social competence as nonLD students. Students with LD did not differ significantly from low-achieving (LA) nonLD students on any of the measures of social competence; however, they were significantly different from average/high-achieving (AHA) nonLD students on social skills and behavior problems, but not peer acceptance or self-concept. The discussion addresses the social competence of students with LD from a developmental perspective as well as how they contrast with other achievement groups (LA and AHA). Issues and suggestions for future directions for research on the social-emotional development of youngsters with LD are presented.

Author(s):  
Sobhi S. Al-Harthi

  This study aimed to investigate the relationship between learned helplessness and social skills among students with learning disabilities at primary stage in Taif. A random sample of 149 male and 49 female grades four and five students with learning disabilities in reading and mathematics was selected. The researcher used two scales the learned helplessness scale by (Sorrenti, Filippello, Costa and Buzzai, 2014) and the social skills scale by (Danielson and  Phelps, 2003). The results showed that females of learned helplessness (20.40%) were higher than males (12.08%). The results revealed that there is a statistically significant negative correlation between learned helplessness and social skills. There are statistically significant differences between males and females in the degrees of learned helplessness in favor of females. Also, the results show that there are statistically significant differences between males and females in the scores of social skills in favor of females. However, there are no statistically significant differences between those with reading disabilities and those with mathematics learning disabilities in the degrees of learning helplessness. Moreover, there are no differences between those with reading disabilities and those with mathematics learning disabilities in the second dimension of the social skills scale (acceptance and admiration of others) and the third dimension (social naivety). However, there are differences between those with reading disabilities and those with mathematics learning disabilities in the first dimensions and the total score of the social skills scale in favor of those with mathematics learning disabilities.


1995 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 519-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malka Margalit ◽  
Ilana Ben-Dov

In order to explore aspects of loneliness and social competence of learning disabled students in relation to specific environmental contexts, this study focused on children in two different social systems: a kibbutz and a city. The aim of the study was to investigate the social skills and loneliness patterns among 122 students with learning disabilities (LD) in self-contained special classes within regular school systems (66 kibbutz students; 56 city students) and among 120 nondisabled (nonLD) students within these same environmental conditions (69 kibbutz students; 51 city students). A four-way MANCOVA (LD/nonLD X kibbutz/city X male/female X lower/higher grades, with age as covariate) was performed for self-reported loneliness and empathy, peer-rated sociometric measures, teacher-rated social skills, and classroom adjustment as the dependent measures. LD youngsters were found to be less socially competent and more lonely than their nonLD peers in all social competence areas, and as assessed by three sources of information. When compared with LD city students, LD kibbutz students were evaluated by their teachers as demonstrating fewer maladaptive externalising behaviours, and by their peers as having more friends. Social contexts did not differentiate between the two LD groups' feeling of loneliness or rates of peer acceptance, and it can be concluded that students with LD were found to experience loneliness regardless of gender or environmental conditions.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-194
Author(s):  
Teja Lorger ◽  
Majda Schmidt ◽  
Karin Bakračevič Vukman

This paper aims to shed light on the level of social acceptance among students with learning disabilities (LD4) in various secondary school vocational programs in comparison with their peers without disabilities. Our findings are based on an empirical study that comprised 417 students,5 of whom 85 were students with LD. Based on sociometric analyses of allparticipating classes, we determined that students with LD were less integrated into the classroom in comparison to their peers without LD. The results of the sociometric analysis show statistically significant differences in the sociometric position between students with LD and students without LD. While students with LD were most frequently perceived as rejected,students without LD were seen as popular or average. In addition, students with LD see themselves as less socially self-efficient compared to their peers. The results of our study mostly refer to boys, because the sample comprised 359 boys and 58 girls. We believe that pro-inclusion teachers with appropriately developed strategies for strengthening students’ socialskills, as well as positive attitudes and sufficient knowledge about the special needs of students can have a significant impact on the social acceptance of students with special needs in the classroom community. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 16-27
Author(s):  
Mohamad Ahmad Saleem Khasawneh

The study aimed at investigating the effect of a training program based on extracurricular activities in developing social competence among a sample of students with learning disabilities in the basic stage in Irbid Governorate. The sample consisted of (40) third and fourth-grade students enrolled in the resource rooms. The study sample was divided into two groups; an experimental group (20) students and a control group (20) student. The training program for developing social competence was applied only to the experimental group . The Walker-McConnell Scale of Social Competence-Children version (prepared by "Walker- McConnell", translated into Arabic by Ahmed Awad 2002) was applied to all study members before and after the application of the training program. The statistical analysis of the data resulted in the presence of statistically significant differences at the level of (a less / equal 0.05) between the mean scores of the experimental and control groups on the social competence scale and the total score of the scale, in favor of the experimental group. There were no statistically significant differences at (a less / equal 0.05) between the mean scores of the experimental and control groups on the social competence scale due to the interaction between age and group in the post-test.


2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 737-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alysia Y. Blandon ◽  
Susan D. Calkins ◽  
Kevin J. Grimm ◽  
Susan P. Keane ◽  
Marion O'Brien

AbstractA developmental cascade model of early emotional and social competence predicting later peer acceptance was examined in a community sample of 440 children across the ages of 2 to 7. Children's externalizing behavior, emotion regulation, social skills within the classroom and peer acceptance were examined utilizing a multitrait–multimethod approach. A series of longitudinal cross-lag models that controlled for shared rater variance were fit using structural equation modeling. Results indicated there was considerable stability in children's externalizing behavior problems and classroom social skills over time. Contrary to expectations, there were no reciprocal influences between externalizing behavior problems and emotion regulation, although higher levels of emotion regulation were associated with decreases in subsequent levels of externalizing behaviors. Finally, children's early social skills also predicted later peer acceptance. Results underscore the complex associations among emotional and social functioning across early childhood.


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