Date of Award
1986
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Abstract
This study examined the acceptability of social skills treatment methods as rated by elementary school teachers. Independent variables such as target problem (aggressive versus withdrawn social skills deficits), treatment method (modeling-coaching versus overcorrection), and outcome information (weak versus strong therapeutic effects) were systematically manipulated to determine which treatment method teachers preferred to remediate social skills deficits in their classrooms. Also of interest was the effect of outcome information on teachers' ratings of acceptability. Two measured independent variables included were the Knowledge Assessment and the Intervention Use Assessment to determine teachers' knowledge of treatments presented and how frequently treatments had been used. Teachers' perceptions of treatments were measured using the factor scores on the Behavior Intervention Rating Scale. Three predictions were made: (a) when teachers are presented with the treatment methods of modeling-coaching and overcorrection, they would rate treatments as being equally acceptable and effective, (b) when teachers are presented with an aggressive social skills deficit, their acceptability and perceived effectiveness ratings would be higher for the overcorrection procedure than the modeling-coaching treatment, (c) when teachers are presented with outcome information for specific target problems, their ratings of acceptability and perceived effectiveness would be consistent with the effectiveness information conveyed to them. These predictions were tested utilizing a 2 x 2 x 2 multivariate analysis of variance. Results were consistent with previous acceptability research; however, only one of the predictions was confirmed. Teachers displayed a strong preference for modeling-coaching for both problems. This finding may have been a result of the problems being quite similar, varying only on the continuum of social skills. Also, teachers' ratings were affected strongly by outcome information. They rated overcorrection, a low acceptability treatment, higher when told that it had been effective. Additionally, modeling-coaching, a high acceptability treatment, was rated lower when told the therapeutic effects had been weak. In general, the study revealed that modeling-coaching is preferred over overcorrection in remediating social skills deficits. Also, while several factors affect teacher acceptability of social skills treatment methods, outcome information appeared to be a salient variable affecting teachers' treatment evaluations.
Recommended Citation
Clark, Lillee Coleman, "Acceptability of Social Skills Training Methods (Sociometrics)." (1986). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 4292.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/4292
Pages
185
DOI
10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.4292