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Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by impaired social communication and interactions, as well as constrained and repetitive manifestations of interests and behaviors. Various interventions at cognitive and behavioral levels aim to address impaired social communication and interaction in individuals with ASD. This study systematically explores the transferability of social training in individuals with ASD, guided by the conceptual model known as the FIELD framework (Function, Implement, Ecology, Level, and Durability). Employing the PRISMA methodology, 52 original experiments were included in the study. The transfer analysis, formulated as a conceptual meta-analysis based on the effect sizes, underscores the significant impact of variables including age, severity of autism, intervention tools, intervention intensity, intervention context, and intervention duration on the transferability of social training in individuals with ASD. The transfer of skills was particularly conspicuous among younger individuals, especially in face-to-face interventions, in contrast to digital alternatives. Moreover, cognitive interventions exhibited superior transferability compared to behavioral interventions, especially when administered with a higher intervention dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unstructured play has also been found effective on promoting positive emotions and emotional competence among children and adolescents with special educational needs (SEN). Unstructured Outdoor Play coupled with Mindfulness-based Interventions via 'Supporting Wellness in E-Child Learning Environments' (SWELE) program can foster the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents with SEN. Currently there is a lack of the unstructured play with mindfulness-based interventions in the special schools in Hong Kong. Thus, aim of the SWELE program is to examine the effects of unstructured play with mindfulness-based interventions—(SWELE) program combining unstructured outdoor play activities with mindfulness-based interventions to promote mental wellbeing among SEN children and adolescents. Methods: This 16-week SWELE program focuses on combining unstructured outdoor play activities with mindfulness-based interventions to promote mental wellbeing among children and adolescents with SEN. Training workshops for schoolteachers, school principals, parents and student mental health ambassadors in each special school together with a 16-week SWELE program and each last 45–60 min. Unstructured play allows students the freedom to explore, create and discover without predetermined rules or guidelines. Outdoor unstructured play activities include naturally run, jump and move on a playground, riding a bike, climbing trees, playing tag, playing with blocks, colour, water play, and boxes. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design both with a quantitative measure using a single group pre- and post-tests quasi-experiment behavioural observational method to preliminarily evaluate the impact of SWELE Program on SEN children's and adolescents' mental wellbeing; and with a qualitative design to conduct eight focus group discussions including schoolteachers, school principals, parents, SEN students, school nurses from six selected special groups and to explore their perceptions and experiences after participated the SWELE program. Discussion: The purpose of this protocol is to examine the effects of a 16-week SWELE program on the mood, anxiety level, social skills and playfulness behaviours among children and adolescents with SEN in the special schools in Hong Kong. From the evaluation and observation, the pre-set aim and objectives on the improvement of mental wellbeing in children and adolescents with SEN can be confirmed. Trial registration: ClinicalTrial.gov, NCT06112483. Registered on 31 October 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the Early Basketball Protocol, a sports-based intervention designed to improve motor and socio-emotional skills in autistic preschoolers. Recognizing the paucity of sports protocols for younger autistic children, we developed this protocol using basketball rules to foster an inclusive setting where autistic preschoolers (n = 4) and their typically developing peers (n = 13) could engage in activities together. The protocol aims to simultaneously develop motor and socio-emotional skills through inclusive sports activities. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the effectiveness of the protocol was evaluated using parent-reported measures. A narrative approach synthesized the parental answers, and a pre–post-test analysis evaluated the preliminary application of the EB protocol based on parent-reported perceptions. Encouraging longitudinal results emerged, particularly in the improvement of socio-emotional skills for all participants. However, the early disruption of activities due to the pandemic may have contributed to the lack of improvement in gross motor skills. The paper discusses the practical implications of these findings and outlines future research directions, emphasizing the critical role of social inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative phenomenological study investigates the lived experiences of teachers in rural, urban, and coastal areas of Albay, Philippines, highlighting the challenges and skills that shape their professional lives. Despite the critical role of teachers in education, little research has focused on how geographical context influences their experiences. Indepth interviews and participant observation were employed to gather data from teacher-participants. The study utilized the phenomenological frameworks of Husserl and Heidegger to analyze the data and capture the essence of the participants' experiences. The findings reveal common life skills among teachers, including adaptability, effective communication, interpersonal skills, pedagogical skills, and practicality. Both rural and urban teachers demonstrated digital literacy, while competitiveness was more pronounced in urban settings. Financial literacy emerged as a strength among rural and coastal teachers, likely due to fewer distractions that lead to excessive spending. Urban teachers were found to be more susceptible to overspending due to the influence of commercial establishments and entertainment options in their environments. These outcomes underscore the importance of understanding how geographical context impacts teachers' experiences and skills, providing insights that can inform educational policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social skills play a central role in shaping individuals who are able to adapt and contribute to society. This article analyzes the comparative social studies curriculum in Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway and Sweden), focusing on how students' social skills are developed through their approach to learning. The research method used is a qualitative approach with an emphasis on document analysis and uses a horizontal descriptive approach in the context of comparative education. The results of the comparison found that Denmark emphasizes the integration of social skills in practical learning and research projects, Norway through an integrated approach with its contemporary issues while Sweden applies innovation through technology and community involvement. The comparison between the three countries revealed similarities, differences, as well as challenges and successes in the development of students' social skills. The conclusions of this analysis provide a foundation for recommending best practices and improvements in social studies curriculum, which can be applied globally to enhance students' social skills development in this modern era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the level of communication skills among university students and determine whether participation in activities affects communication skills. The study included a total of 398 university students, selected through random sampling, with an average age of 23.86 ± 5.10. Data for the research were collected through an online survey using the "Personal Information Form" and the "Effective Communication Skills Scale." Normality tests were conducted for the data, and One Way MANOVA analysis was used for comparisons of data found to have a normal distribution. Additionally, Pearson Correlation test was employed to examine the relationship between continuous variables. The analysis revealed that university students' effective communication skills differed based on gender, age, faculty, and participation in various activities (p < 0.05). In contrast to the literature, our study found that the concept of effective communication skills, examined in a sample of university students studying in various faculties, not only varied among faculties but also was influenced by factors such as gender, age, and participation in various activities. In conclusion, the study determined that women are more sensitive in establishing effective communication, maturity with age brings changes in communication skills, students whose future professions involve direct interactions with people are more sensitive to effective communication, and participation in various activities enhances communication skills by socializing individuals.

Objective To explore the role of gestures in predicting the treatment outcomes of early behavioral interventions in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder（ASD） across the dimensions of quantity， communicative function and integration ability of gestures. Methods Twenty-four ASD children who received early behavioral interventions for three months from March 2018 to March 2019 were recruited in this study in Child Development and Behavior Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Before and after the interventions， a semi-structured interactive play paradigm was adopted to assess the gestures of ASD children. The social ability， adaptive behavior， and language expression of ASD children were evaluated by using the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System versionⅡ （ABAS-Ⅱ） and the Chinese Communication Development Inventory （CDI）. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to predict the therapeutic effect by gestures in children with ASD. Results By comparing the ABAS-Ⅱ social skills domain （t=-5.850， P < 0.001）， conceptual skills domain （t=-5.548， P < 0.001）， practical skills domain （Z = -4.045， P < 0.001） and the total score （t = -6.771， P < 0.001）， as well as the CDI total score （Z = -3.263， P = 0.001）， the post-intervention scores of ASD children were significantly higher than their pre-intervention scores. Multiple linear regression model found that the frequency of eye gaze-integrated gestures before interventions in ASD children could predict the changes in the score of the social skills domain of the ABASⅡ （B = 1.565， P < 0.001） and the total score of the ABASⅡ （B = 7.331， P = 0.002）. Additionally， the total gesture frequency before interventions could predict the changes in the total score of the CDI （B = 17.089， P = 0.003）. Conclusions The ability to integrate gestures with eye gaze may predict the improvement in social skills and adaptive behavior after the interventions. The quantity of gestures could be an important predictor of progress in expressive language.

This paper presents the Early Basketball Protocol, a sports-based intervention designed to improve motor and socio-emotional skills in autistic preschoolers. Recognizing the paucity of sports protocols for younger autistic children, we developed this protocol using basketball rules to foster an inclusive setting where autistic preschoolers (n = 4) and their typically developing peers (n = 13) could engage in activities together. The protocol aims to simultaneously develop motor and socio-emotional skills through inclusive sports activities. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the effectiveness of the protocol was evaluated using parent-reported measures. A narrative approach synthesized the parental answers, and a pre–post-test analysis evaluated the preliminary application of the EB protocol based on parent-reported perceptions. Encouraging longitudinal results emerged, particularly in the improvement of socio-emotional skills for all participants. However, the early disruption of activities due to the pandemic may have contributed to the lack of improvement in gross motor skills. The paper discusses the practical implications of these findings and outlines future research directions, emphasizing the critical role of social inclusion.

Background and Objectives: The ability to successfully interact with peers and adults is one of the most important aspects of a child's development. Failure to acquire social skills has a negative effect on the development of the child's personality and his adaptation to the environment. The present study was conducted to investigate the social skills of 7-12-year-old children based on demographic factors in those who visited Taleghani Clinic in Gorgan City in 1401. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with a descriptive-analytical approach on 301 children aged 7-12-year-old students in Gorgan city in 1401. The required data were collected through the Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS). The data were analyzed in SPSS23 software using Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The results of this study showed that gender, birth rank, parents’ educational level, parents’ occupation, living with parents, and the number of children had a significant effect on social skills and problem behaviors; however, ethnicity had no significant effect. Conclusion: Various demographic factors affect children's social skills, and by being aware of them, the necessary interventions can be conducted just in time.

The term "phubbing" is a combination of the words "phone" and "snubbing" and is explained as preferring the virtual environment to real communication by engaging with a smartphone during social interaction. Our study included 191 children aged 3–6 attending preschool education. The parents of the children were contacted via an online survey to provide information about their sociodemographic, general phubbing, digital game addiction tendencies, and social skills scale scores. The results showed a positive correlation between parental phubbing level and children's digital game addiction tendencies. Furthermore, the regression analysis revealed that parental phubbing was an increasing factor in children's tendency toward digital game addiction and a decreasing factor in children's social skill levels. In addition, we found that children's social skills may play a mediating role in the relationship between parental phubbing level and digital game addiction tendencies. Understanding the effects of parents' phubbing behaviors on children can help raise awareness and take measures to improve parent-child relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the social skills possessed by the challengers, in this case, charcoal panglong (a place for wood processing and charcoal production) owners, entrepreneurs, and their workers who are able to survive the regulations on the utilization of mangrove forests. The battle in this field began in the days of the Dutch government. The purpose of this study is 1) to reveal how the contestation of stability and change in the charcoal panglong business in Bengkalis. 2) to analyze the social skills possessed by the owner of the charcoal panglong and his workers, hereinafter referred to as challengers, in maintaining the existence of his business until now. The ability to maintain the charcoal panglong business and its business existence. A series of research studies using a qualitative approach, using interviews and observations, were conducted by the author to reveal a series of strategic action fields in the forestry business. The findings obtained show that challengers have always competed with incumbents (mangrove forest policies and regulations) and governance units for a long time. This field contestation has occurred since 1853, starting from the time the Dutch government established a panglong in Bengkalis to meet the demand for wood and charcoal from Singapore and Malaysia. The challenger always maintains its business existence by fulfilling all obligations as a holder of a community forest license granted by the president and also as a charcoal export license holder to Malaysia; of course, to meet these export needs, another skill it has is maintaining a stable supply of charcoal for export. The patron client relationship is one of the challenger's skills in maintaining good relations with the local community and its workers. The market field analysis using Fligstein and McAdam's Field Theory of Strategic Action Field (SAF) helps explore the elements of social skills in SAF so that the structure of stability and change in the forestry charcoal panglong business arena can be illustrated more clearly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine how the use of virtual reality impacts physics students, their knowledge, and the quality of training. The study involved 116 students aged 17–19. The main purpose is to explore the effect that VR technology has on students' knowledge and motivation. As per usual, the students were divided into two research groups: experimental and control. Physics students (experimental group) used virtual reality in learning, while radiophysics students (control group) followed the standard educational program. The results obtained upon completion of the training have confirmed that VR technology can effectively improve learning quality and increase student motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sandplay therapy helps the person develop social skills and acts as a therapy method where they can reflect and repair their inner world. This study aims to test the feasibility of sandplay therapy method in an open area for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and investigate its effect on the development of social skills. In addition, the reorganization of sandplay areas where children with disabilities receive education and treatment, and the introduction of design proposals for integrating them with sandplay therapy in the open area, have been one of the other objectives of this study. The study group of this research, has a quasi‐experimental design in which pre‐test and post‐test measurements are made on the experimental groups of children between the ages of 8 and 12 years with autism diagnosed were formed. This research consisted of five stages: the planning of the study, the implementation phase, the post‐tests, the analysis of the data and the explanation of the design proposals. As a result of the studies conducted on children with ASD, increasing their interaction with society contributed to the development of children with autism socially and psychologically. In this context, group sand therapy was applied to the experimental groups for 7 weeks, one session a week and a total of seven sessions of two children with autism were selected using the selective assignment method. The effect of open area sandplay therapy method on the development of autistic‐disabled people was compared with the values taken before and after the sandplay therapy sessions. The findings revealed that increasing interaction with society contributed to the development of children with ASD socially and psychologically. In addition, the development of suggestions for the design of barrier‐free sandplay areas and the evaluation of the connection between sandplay therapy and design in the open area was made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The ability to successfully interact with peers and adults is one of the most important aspects of a child's development. Failure to acquire social skills has a negative effect on the development of the child's personality and his adaptation to the environment. The present study was conducted to investigate the social skills of 7-12-year-old children based on demographic factors in those who visited Taleghani Clinic in Gorgan City in 1401. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with a descriptive-analytical approach on 301 children aged 7-12-year-old students in Gorgan city in 1401. The required data were collected through the Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS). The data were analyzed in SPSS23 software using Mann-Whitney U Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The results of this study showed that gender, birth rank, parents' educational level, parents' occupation, living with parents, and the number of children had a significant effect on social skills and problem behaviors; however, ethnicity had no significant effect. Conclusion: Various demographic factors affect children's social skills, and by being aware of them, the necessary interventions can be conducted just in time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University Journal of Faculty of Education / Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University Journal of Faculty of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Studies have shown that music therapy can be used as a therapeutic aid for clinical disorders. To evaluate the effects of music therapy (MT) on language communication and social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a meta-analysis was performed on eligible studies in this field. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in eight databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library databases, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, the Chinese Biomedical Literature (CBM) Database, and the VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals Database. The standard mean difference (SMD) values were used to evaluate outcomes, and the pooled proportions and SMD with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were also calculated. Results: Eighteen randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were included, with a total of 1,457 children with ASD. This meta-analysis revealed that music therapy improved their language communication [SMD = -1.20; 95%CI -1.45, -0.94; χ² (17) = 84.17, I² = 80%, p<0.001] and social skills [SMD = -1. 13; 95%CI -1.49, -0.78; χ² (17) = 162.53, I² =90%, p< 0.001]. In addition, behavior [SMD = -1.92; 94%CI -2.56, -1.28; χ² (13) = 235.08, I² =95%, p< 0.001], sensory perception [SMD = -1.62; 95%CI -2.17, -1.08; χ² (16) = 303.80, I² = 95%, p < 0.001], self-help [SMD = -2. 14; 95%CI -3.17, -1.10; χ² (6) = 173.07, I² = 97%, p< 0.001] were all improved. Conclusion: Music therapy has a positive effect on the improvement of symptoms in children with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the effect of using the drama method in Turkish lessons on students' social skills development as well as their attitudes towards the lesson. As the method of the study, the study was conducted with an experimental design with pre-test and post-test groups. After the control and experimental groups were formed in the research, 6-week, 24-hour study was conducted with the experimental group. The study was conducted in a public school in Iğdır province, and the study group consisted of 60 students in total (experiment/control) (30/30). In the study, a pre-test was applied to the groups before the training. The teaching process prepared by the researcher for the experimental group with the drama method in line with the achievements of the Turkish course was carried out and carried out. No intervention was made to the control group. At the end of the study, a post-test was applied to the groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and IBM Amos 23 programs. As a result of the study, teaching with drama method; It was observed that the experimental group students improved their attitudes towards the course positively. It has been concluded that drama plays an important role in the development of social skills. As a result of the research, it was seen that drama significantly affected attitudes and social skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although fruitful achievements have been explored about job burnout, little is known about burnout in the field of social interaction among college students. To address this limitation, this study defined the concept of Social Burnout and developed a measurement tool for it. The study adopted the method of combining qualitative research with quantitative research. After the qualitative study, we gathered examples of social burnout and finished item writing. Using convenient sampling and theoretical sampling methods, six different samples were recruited for reliability and validity testing. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed the scale’s two-factor structure: emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Cronbach’s alpha measured the internal consistency of the social burnout scale (SBS), which was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha of emotional exhaustion  =  0.94; depersonalization  =  0.82; the overall  =  0.92). Susequently, the method of calculating AVE and CR evaluated the scale’s convergent and discriminant validity, which were relatively good (AVE of emotional exhaustion  =  0.60, depersonalization  =  0.59; CR of emotional exhaustion  =  0.93, depersonalization  =  0.81). Then, regression analysis verified the nomological network and criterion-related validity (r = −0.30, p <  0.01; r  = −0.39, p <  0.01; β = −0.25, p <  0.01). The SBS was shown to be a reliable and appropriate measure for assessing students’ social burnout. Furthermore, the SBS is recommended for use in academic research and by healthcare professionals to measure students’ social distress. Further validation studies of this scale are needed in other cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Inonu University Journal of the Faculty of Education (INUJFE) is the property of Inonu University Journal of the Faculty of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this research is to development a test measures the emotional perspective-taking abilities of early childhood children. Emotional perspective-taking is a social skill that involves accurately predicting the emotions of others by distinguishing them from one's own emotions. The objective of this research is to better define this skill in early childhood and thus contribute to a better understanding of children's levels of social-emotional development. The study group consists of 146 students aged 5-6. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with children. Expert opinions were consulted during the research process to ensure the test's content validity. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), item-total correlations and item analyses were used to establish construct validity. On the other hand, for the reliability of the test, KR-20, KR-21 and split-half reliability were used. The test which was developed for this purpose, consisted of a total of 13 items in two dimensions called "Confused-Scared" and "Happy-Sad" and a total of 13 pictures, one picture for each item. The research found that the Early Childhood Emotional Perspective Taking Test (EDAT) is a valid and reliable test for children aged 5-6 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: One of the most common problems among children and adolescents who suffer from SPD is having a deficiency in interpersonal relationships. Aim: The current study aims to investigate the Persian version of psychometric properties of the ERQ and social skills among children and adolescents who suffer from SPD. Method: This study was applied and developmental in terms of aim and psychometric type, respectively. The population included all the patients with SPD in Tehran city in 2020-2021, from which 222 children and adolescents with SPD were selected by available sampling. Three scales of Emotion Regulation and Social Skills (2015), Social Interaction (2003), and Social Skills (1983) were used to collect the data. Besides, mean, standard deviation (SD), exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, divergent validity, and SPSS-24 and AMOS-19 were run to analyze the data. Results: The result of factor analysis confirmed that the questionnaire is single-factor and explained 0.54 of that. The reliability was checked via Cronbach’s alpha for the total questionnaire (0.97), and the convergent validity of the parents’ form of this questionnaire was checked by social skill (0.63) and social interaction (0.49). This indicated the criterion and concurrent validity of this questionnaire. Conclusion: The results of this study showed the efficiency of psychometric properties of ERQ and interaction skills, considering the diagnosis of emotional and social features of SPD children. Future studies can use this measure for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes among patients with SPD.

Differences in social motivation underlie the core social‐communication features of autism according to several theoretical models, with decreased social motivation among autistic youth relative to neurotypical peers. However, research on social motivation often relies on caregiver reports and rarely includes firsthand perspectives of children and adolescents with autism. Furthermore, social motivation is typically assumed to be constant across social settings when it may actually vary by social context. Among a sample of 58 verbally fluent youth (8–13 years old; 22 with autism, 36 neurotypical), we examined correspondence between youth and caregiver reports of social motivation with peers and with adults, as well as diagnostic group differences and associations with social outcomes. Results suggest youth and caregivers provide overlapping but distinct information. Autistic youth had lower levels of social motivation relative to neurotypical youth, and reported relatively consistent motivation toward peers and adults. Youth self‐ and caregiver‐report were correlated for motivation toward adults, but not toward peers. Despite low correspondence between self‐ and caregiver‐reported motivation toward peers, autistic youths' self‐report corresponded to caregiver‐reported social skills and difficulties whereas caregiver‐report of peer motivation did not. For neurotypical youth, self‐ and caregiver‐reported motivation toward adults was correlated, but motivation by both reporters was largely independent of broader social outcomes. Findings highlight the unique value of self‐report among autistic children and adolescents, and warrant additional work exploring the development, structure, and correlates of social motivation among autistic and neurotypical youth. Lay Summary: Researchers studying social motivation in autistic youth often measure it through caregiver‐report questionnaires, and rarely ask youth directly about their social experiences. We collected social motivation questionnaires from autistic and neurotypical youth ages 8–13 years and their caregivers, and found that they often agree on their social motivation with adults, but have less agreement on their social motivation with peers. When compared to other social outcomes, we found that autistic youths' self‐reported motivation may correspond better than caregiver reports with those outcomes. We conclude that youth and caregivers contribute overlapping but distinct information about youths' social experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to develop a test that measures the cognitive perspective-taking skills of children in early childhood and can be applied directly to children. Cognitive perspective-taking is a type of social skill that refers the ability of an individual to correctly predict what is going through the mind of another person by distinguishing from his/her own thoughts. It is aimed to better understand the cognitive development field by determining the cognitive perspective-taking skill levels of children and thus to contribute to early childhood education. The Early Childhood Cognitive Perspective Taking Test (EBAT) developed in this direction consists of 15 items and 60 pictures. The research group consists of 146 children aged 5-6 years, enrolled in the preschool classes of independent kindergartens and primary schools in the city center of Elazig in the 2020-2021 academic year. Data collected through one-on-one clinical interviews with children were analyzed in SPSS and TAP programs, and the KR-20 reliability coefficient was found to be .902. Explanatory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), item-total correlation, and item analysis were performed, as well as taking expert opinions throughout the research process for test validity. As a result of the research, it has been understood that the Early Childhood Cognitive Perspective Taking Test (EBAT) is a valid and reliable test for children aged 5-6 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in the literature predominantly focuses on the academic development of students. However, the affective characteristics of students and their ability to work in different ways impact their learning. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the effects of various teaching methods on the development of affective factors. This study aims to investigate the impact of educational game (eg), reading-writing-games (rwg), and reading-writing-application (rwa) methods on students’ attitudes towards science lesson, social skills, and attitudes towards school. A quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest comparison groups was employed. The research involved 163 5th-grade students from middle school. Data collection utilized science course attitude scale, social skills scale, and attitude scale towards school. Dependent groups t-test and one-way anova were employed for the analysis. The results indicated that eg, rwg, and rwa methods are statistically significant enhancing students’ social skills, attitudes towards science courses, and attitudes towards school. eg, rwg, and rwa methods can be applied to improve the social skills and attitudes of students with low social skills and negative attitudes towards the course or school.

Copyright of Ozel Egitim Dergisi is the property of Ankara University, Faculty of Educational Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The diversity of child social skills development is not well detected among Asian countries. Culturally validated assessments are needed for practitioners to evaluate child social skills. This study tested the measurement invariance of the Social Skill Scale (SSS) across Japanese and Chinese samples and explored country differences in child social skills development. The SSS utilizes a widely used factor structure (assertion, self-control, and cooperation subdomains) and has established Japanese and Chinese versions. We conducted investigations with an identical process and materials with different language versions, collecting data from 931 Japanese kindergarten children (Mage = 4.35, SDage = 1.07; 53.6% boys) and from 1130 Chinese kindergarten children (Mage = 4.47, SDage = 1.00; 52.3% boys). We used multiple confirmatory factor analysis to test measurement invariance of the SSS and established the validity, reliability, and scalar measurement invariance for the first-order factor structure of the SSS across the two country samples. We also examined country differences on the associations between demographics, parenting practice, and child social skills development. We found that, compared to the Chinese sample, cooperation skills significantly increased more with age among the Japanese sample. However, spanking was negatively related to self-control skills development in both countries. Our findings contribute to the demonstration of the diversity of child social skills development and have important implications for assessing and developing child social skills using culture-specific strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a common mental health problem that can affect everyone at different stages of development. Though the prevalence rate of depression among university students is rising, exploration among engineering students is limited. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of depression and its associated factors of among engineering students in Thailand. Methods: A total of 346 students participated in this study. All completed the outcome inventory depression subscale (OI-D) to evaluate the level and prevalence of depression. Other variables assessed included social skills, learning styles, relationship satisfaction, interpersonal difficulty, alcohol use, internet addiction, and neuroticism. Correlation and regression analyses were applied to test the association between sociodemographic and psychosocial factors and depression. Results: Of the 346 students with the mean age of 20.25 (SD, 1.33), 52.31% were male. Based on the OI-D, 35.3% of participants exhibited symptoms indicative of major depression. Multiple regression showed that only neuroticism, interpersonal difficulties, social skills, and self-esteem appeared to be the significant predictors of depression. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression among engineering students in Thailand was unexpectedly high compared with the prevalence of depression among engineering students in some other countries. Intra- and interpersonal factors were found to be associated with depression. Further study on identifying these risk factors should be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: One of the most common problems among children and adolescents who suffer from SPD is having a deficiency in interpersonal relationships. Aim: The current study aims to investigate the Persian version of psychometric properties of the ERQ and social skills among children and adolescents who suffer from SPD. Method: This study was applied and developmental in terms of aim and psychometric type, respectively. The population included all the patients with SPD in Tehran city in 2020-2021, from which 222 children and adolescents with SPD were selected by available sampling. Three scales of Emotion Regulation and Social Skills (2015), Social Interaction (2003), and Social Skills (1983) were used to collect the data. Besides, mean, standard deviation (SD), exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, divergent validity, and SPSS- 24 and AMOS-19 were run to analyze the data. Results: The result of factor analysis confirmed that the questionnaire is single-factor and explained 0.54 of that. The reliability was checked via Cronbach’s alpha for the total questionnaire (0.97), and the convergent validity of the parents’ form of this questionnaire was checked by social skill (0.63) and social interaction (0.49). This indicated the criterion and concurrent validity of this questionnaire. Conclusion: The results of this study showed the efficiency of psychometric properties of ERQ and interaction skills, considering the diagnosis of emotional and social features of SPD children. Future studies can use this measure for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes among patients with SPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To explore the characteristics of perspective-taking in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its related factors. Methods:Totally 100 children with ASD meeting the criteria of DSM-5 and100 gender-and age-matched normal children aged 6-10 years were included. The social perspective-taking test (SPT) was utilized to evaluate children’s ability of perspective-taking. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Fourth Edition (WISC Ⅳ), Social Responsiveness Scales (SRS), and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) were used to evaluate children s function. Pearson partial correlations analysis was conducted to evaluate the associations between perspective-taking and their social and cognitive function. Results:The scores of cognitive perspective-taking (CPT) and affective perspective-taking (APT) of SPT were lower in the ASD group than in normal control group (Ps <0. 001) . The SPT Scores were lower in children in ASD group with different genders and ages than in normal control group (Ps <0. 05) . In ASD group, the CPT scores were positively correlated with intelligence quotient (r=0. 26, P <0. 05), while negatively correlated with the SRS scores (r=-0. 20, P＜0. 05) . The APT scores were also positively correlated with intelligence quotient (r= 0. 33, P <0. 01), and negatively correlated with scores of SRS and BRIEF (r=-0. 32, -0. 03, Ps <0. 05) . Conclusion: It suggests that children with autism spectrum disorder have defects in cognitive function and affective perspective-taking, and the ability of perspective-taking may be related to lower levels of intelligence, social responsiveness and executive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Yoga is a holistic mind-body intervention for children with ASD in special schools. • Group yoga sessions enhances social responsiveness by fostering many social skills in children with ASD. • School-based yoga as a holistic modality in special schools can contribute to the management of social responsiveness and problem behaviors in children with ASD. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder and is increasingly reported among school-age children in India. Many children with ASD attend special schools which extend support for learning basic functional and academic skills. Problem behaviors and lack of social responsiveness are frequently associated with children with ASD in a school environment. Many evidence-based studies have explored various interventions in mitigating the lack of social responsiveness and problem behaviors in children. Few studies have examined the impact of yoga on social responsiveness and problem behaviors in special schools. The objective of the study was to highlight the effect of school-based yoga on the social responsiveness and problem behaviors of children with ASD in special schools. Forty-three children with ASD from four special schools participated in the study. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) design was employed for the study. Children with ASD (n = 43) from four special schools were assessed by their teachers for social responsiveness and problem behaviors with the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) and Aberrant Behavior Checklist-2 (ABC-2) at the baseline and after the yoga intervention. Structured yoga of 45 min for 12 weeks was conducted across four special schools with simple yoga practices conducive to children with ASD. Significant changes were observed post-intervention in the mean scores of the social communication aspect in social responsiveness (p =.021), irritability (p =.041), and social withdrawal (p =.047) aspects of problem behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Adolescents form a socially significant segment of the population. The analysis of social functioning, a sensitive indicator of underlying mental ailments, amongst them is a good measure to find out their mental health status. Aim: To assess the social functioning skills and its associated factors among adolescent school-going children in Hooghly District, West Bengal, India. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional questionnaire-based was conducted among 1056 (mean {SD) age=15.53±1.3 years} school-going adolescent children in four randomly selected English medium private co-educational schools, from Class IX to XII, in Hooghly District, West Bengal, India, for a period of two months from June 2022-July 2022. The Child and Adolescent Social and Adaptive Functioning Scale (CASAFS), a validated tool consisting of 24 items designed to measure psychosocial functioning, was used. A Likert scale scoring was done for each item. Adolescents scoring below the 75th percentile of the total score were classified as "poor social adaptive functioning skill" and those above 75th percentile as "good social adaptive functioning skill". The data was analysed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 23.0 software. Descriptive statistics like mean, median, percentile, standard deviation were generated. Analytical statistics like chi-square test was applied to find out the relationship between categorical variables i.e., social functional skill and socio-demographic profile and a p-value of <0.05 was considered as significant. Result: Out of 1056 students included in the study. There were 318 (30.1%) Class IX students, 229 (21.7%) Class X students, 204 (19.3%) Class XI students and 305 (28.9%) Class XII students. The age of the students ranged from 13 to 18 years. 219 (20.7%) had the good social functioning skill and 837 (79.3%) had poor social functioning skill. The mean (SD) score of all the domains combined was 70.5 (8.05), with 'Family Relationship domain' having highest mean (SD) score 19.5±3.0 and 'Peer relationship domain' having the least mean (SD) score 15.9±3.1. 'Good social functioning skills' was significantly associated with those belonging to the age group of 17-18 years, having increased number of siblings (p=0.001) higher mother's educational status (p=0.003). Conclusion: From the present study, it was observed that a very meagre number of students possessed good social functional ability. Improvement of social functioning skills indirectly helps in improving mental health and adolescents are the corner stones to initiate this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social skills help individual to interact and perform effectively in a given social context and is associated with educational accomplishment, psychological adaptation, coping abilities, and employment. In lieu of the growing importance of social skill in every aspect of individual's life, it was felt imminent to evolve a scale for general population. Development and validation of the social skill scale are labelled under three levels—Phase I—writing of items and content validation, Phase II—factor analysis, Phase III—testing reliability and validity. An exploratory factor analysis with oblique rotation of the intercorrelations of the 23 items resulted in a 5-factor solution: leadership skill, team integration skill, affiliative skill, interpersonal skill, and social engagement skill. The present study will be an applied research with the objectives of developing an instrument of social skills, which can help in assessment process, used for intervention purposes targeting a definite population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aim Social functioning is influenced by various factors. Autistic traits could be one of the factors that affect social functioning. Methods In the present study, the relationship between autistic traits and social functioning among 755 healthy individuals was analyzed. Autistic traits were assessed with the autism‐spectrum quotient. Social functioning was assessed by the social functioning scale and the social activity assessment. Results The Autism‐Spectrum Quotient total score was significantly negatively correlated with the social functioning scale total and all subscales of the social functioning scale. All subscales of the Autism‐Spectrum Quotient except attention to detail were significantly negatively correlated with the social functioning scale total score. However, the Autism‐Spectrum Quotient was not correlated with the social activity assessment, which indicates labor functioning. Conclusion Autistic traits of healthy individuals had a negative impact on situations in real life through social functioning for daily life‐sustaining. The effect was not enough to affect labor functioning as indicated by working hours in healthy individuals. These findings should also be examined in individuals with autism spectrum disorder in future studies.

An individual with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has social skill, motor skill, and motion perception deficits. However, the relationship among them was not clarified. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of motor skills on social skills and motion perception. Five typically developed children and fourteen children with ASD participated in our study. The N200 component, a brain activity indicating motion perception, was induced in mid-temporal (MT/V5) brain area by watching a random dot kinematograph, and was recorded using a scalp electroencephalogram. Furthermore, the social responsiveness scale (SRS) indicating the social skill deficit, the developmental coordination disorder questionnaire (DCDQ) estimating the developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and the movement assessment battery for children second edition (MABC-2) indicating motor skills were recorded in the children with ASD. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the modulation effects of motor skills on the relationship between social skills and motion perception. The dependent variable was the N200 latency, and the independent variables were SRS, MABC-2, and combined MABC-2 and SRS. The N200 latency was more delayed in children with ASD relative that in typically developed children. Intact balance ability modulated the relationship between social skills and N200 latency in children with ASD. Within the high balance ability, when the social skills worsened, the N200 latency was shortened. This is the first report that intact motor skills could modulate the relationship between social skills and motion perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research was conducted to determine examining the relationship between social skills and social competence levels of Y generation students in health sciences. Material and Methods: The sampling of the research consisted of 453 students in the departments of nursing, audiology, health management, nutrition and dietetics and ergotherapy in the 2016-2017 academic year in a faculty of health sciences in İstanbul. The data were collected via the "Student Information Form", "Social Skill Inventory", "Social Self Efficacy", and "Social Outcome Expectations Scale." Results: It was found out that the mean age of the students was 20.49±1.69, 88.7% of them were female, 27.8% were first year students, and 40.2% were studying in the department of nursing. The mean total scores of the Social Skill Inventory and Social Self Efficacy and Social Outcome Expectations Scale were 270.15±35.56 and 70.87±12.24, respectively. It has been revealed that the social skills of generation Y students studying in the field of healthcare are at a moderate level, and their social competence and social outcome expectations are at a high level. A positive weak correlation was observed between generation Y students' social skill inventory affective expressivity subdimension scores and the scale scores of social self-efficacy and social outcome expectations (p<0.05) (r=0.133 and r=0.094). Conclusion: It was determined that the social skills of the Y generation students studying in the field of health were at a moderate level, and their social competence and social outcome expectations were at a high level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the daily life and social relationships of pre-school children globally. While many studies have examined the impact of the pandemic on children, few have compared the home environment and children's social skills before and after the pandemic. To address this research gap, we used data from the Japan Child Care Cohort study, which included questions on home environment answered by parents (1748 in 2019 and 1349 in 2020) of children aged 0–6 years using self-reported questionnaires and data on the social skills of children aged 1–6 years (1917 in 2019 and 1989 in 2020) that were evaluated by childcare professionals in childcare centres. Using the Chi-square test, home environments and social skills were compared. We found that frequencies of family meals, no punishment, and a positive attitude toward children's mistakes were higher in 2020. In contrast, frequencies of shopping together, visiting children's friends and relatives, and having social support from others were lower in 2020. Additionally, children's social skills in 2019 were better than in 2020. Childcare institutions can consider these differences and create a support plan to ensure quality child-rearing practices and healthy child development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zou Ran,1,2 Azeem Gul,3 Ahsan Akbar,4 Syed Arslan Haider,5 Asma Zeeshan,6 Minhas Akbar7 1Kunming LIH SkyCity Rehabilitation Hospital, Kunming, People’s Republic of China; 2Faculty of Education, Segi University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 3Department of International Relations, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan; 4International Business School, Guangzhou City University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Management, Sunway University Business School (SUBS), Sunway University, No 5, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; 6Department of Management Sciences, Bahria University, Islamabad, Pakistan; 7Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (Sahiwal Campus), Sahiwal, 5700, PakistanCorrespondence: Ahsan Akbar Tel +86 13802400964Email akbar@gcu.edu.cnPurpose: Business competition is getting more intense nowadays, and corporate survival is getting harder; consequently, corporate managers have to make financial decisions in complex and globalized scenarios. As a result, in order to compete in today’s global economy, businesses are contemplating incorporating behavioural components of human psychology into their decision-making processes. Corporations are masters of quantitative analysis, but they rarely pay attention to behavioural elements of organizational success. Emotional intelligence is important in many parts of life; therefore, it is crucial to look at its dimensions when it comes to corporate financial decision-making.Methods: A simple random sampling technique was used to collect data from 200 senior-level managers from the corporate sector located in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad of Pakistan. SPSS version 22 was used to test the hypotheses.Results: Results of the study show the gender-based variation in corporate financial decision-making detailing the higher impact of EI of males on CFD than their counterparts in the corporate sector organizations. The elements of self-awareness, empathy, motivation and self-regulation affect the financial decision-making of both the genders with varying degrees of influence, whereas social skills do not affect CFD of both genders.Conclusion: The study findings explicate that the influence of self-awareness and empathy constructs of EI on corporate financial decisions is stronger in female managers than their male counterparts. However, male managers exhibit a significantly stronger influence of motivation, social skills, and self-regulation dimensions on their financial decisions compared to female managers in a corporate setting. Overall, the impact of EI on CFD is slightly higher in male managers. These empirical outcomes imply that organizations should assess the employees not only for technical skills but also based on their emotional intelligence during the recruitment process.Keywords: emotional intelligence, self-awareness, self-regulation, social skill, empathy, motivation, corporate financial decision, recruitment process, training and development

Background and Objectives: The prevalence of autism has increased worldwide in recent decades. The diagnosis of autism requires deficits in communication and social interaction skills, such as holding a back-to-back conversation and using non-verbal communication behaviors. It seems that the social skills of students with autism may significantly affect their self-determination state because the problem of social interaction causes limitations in autonomous functioning. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect of occupation-based self-determination intervention on the communication and interaction skills of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 40 adolescents with ASD. A total of 21 adolescents (intervention group) were randomly selected to participate in the occupation-based self-determination intervention, while the other 19 adolescents (control group) had only routine occupational therapy sessions. All these adolescents were assessed before, after, and 45 days after the 16-session intervention program using an assessment of communication and interaction skills. Data were analyzed using non-parametric chi-square test and parametric tests (repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and student’s t-test). Results: A significant change was observed in the assessment results of the communication and interaction skills between pre and post-test of the intervention group. After analyzing the results with multivariate test, repeated measures, and student’s t-test, it was revealed that while the mean scores for communication and interaction skills in the control group did not show significant changes during assessment times (P>0.05), the comparison between groups over time for communication and interaction skills indicated a statistically significant increase in the intervention group (P