Social Skills Across the Life Span

Social skills are critical to psychological adjustment across the lifespan. These skills are necessary for attaining a variety of important social, emotional, and interpersonal goals. Social skill definits and resulting negative social interactions are associated with a wide variety of adjustment problems and psychological disorders. Social Skills across the Life Span: Theory is a comprehensive social skills volume providing in-depth coverage of theory, assessment, and intervention. Divided into three major sections, the volume begins with the definition of social competence, developmental factors, and relations to adjustment. This is followed by coverage of general assessment and intervention issues across the lifespan. In the third section, program developers describe specific evidence-based interventions. Identifies how social skills influence social competence and well being Addresses the full lifespan Reviews methods to assess and intervene with children and adults Details evidence-based interventions for children and adults

This volume evolved from the second life span development conference held at Southern Illinois University entitled "Assessment and Intervention Across the Lifespan." Providing an overview and consideration of important directions for research in areas of assessment and intervention across the lifespan, the presentations covered a variety of topic areas including social ecology, cultural diversity, attitudes about aging, as well as attention, visual, and linguistic skills. This volume consists of chapters based on the conference presentations as well as additional chapters by experts in related specialty areas discussing attachment theory, learning disabilities, and phonological processing. The second conference and volume continue the work of the first conference and its associated earlier volume. The chapters cover important interactions between assessment and intervention for each major developmental period; several emphasize the importance of early assessment and intervention. A common theme found throughout is the critical connection between basic research and practice. The editors hope this book will prove useful not only to researchers, but also to practitioners in related disciplines working with individuals of all ages.

This book arises from a conference held in November 1996 designed to examine how competence can be improved in the different stages ofthe lifespan. To this end, we brought together eminent researchers in different areas of human development—infancy, childhood, and adulthood, including the late adult years. The conference was based on the premise that discussion arising from the interfaces of research and practice would increase our knowledge of and stimulate the further application of effective interventions designed to improve competence. The editors wish to acknowledge the contributions of Concordia University and the Fonds pour la Formation de Chercheurs et l’Aide a la Recherche (FCAR) in providing funding and other assistance toward the conference “Improving Competence Across the Lifespan” and toward the publication of this book. Finally, we wish to express our gratitude to the numerous students associated with our Centre for their help and to Gail Pitts and Lesley Husband of the Centre for Research in Human Development for their assistance. We are especially grateful to Donna Craven, Centre for Research in Human Development, for her heroic work on both the conference and the present volume. We could not have met our goals without you.

This issue of Psychiatric Clinics, guest edited by Drs. Robert Wisner-Carlson, Thomas Flis, Scott Pekrul, and Robert Schloesser will discuss a number of important topics addressing Autism Disorders Across the lifespan. This issue is one of four each year selected by our series consulting editor, Dr. Harsh Trivedi of Sheppard Pratt Health System. Part II of this issue will be publishing subsequently. Articles in this issue include: Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan; The Role of Diagnostic Instruments in Dual and Differential Diagnosis in Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan; Current Approaches to the Pharmacologic Treatment of Core Symptoms Across the Lifespan of Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autism and Education; The Transition to Adulthood for Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorder; Social Skills Training in Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan; Competitive Integrated Employment for Youth and Adults with Autism: Findings from a Scoping Review; Transitioning from Adolescence to Adulthood with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Overview of Planning and Legal Issues; Intersection of Eating Disorders and the Female Profile of Autism; and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder in Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan.

Social interaction is an important aspect of everyday life and its success (or lack of) impacts heavily on our wellbeing. A vital part of successful social interaction is the ability to understand and predict events in terms of other people's mental states, such as their intentions, beliefs, emotions, and desires (termed Theory of Mind, ToM). Children typically develop the necessary skills for social interaction around four years old, and as healthy adults, we engage in social interaction frequently and seemingly without a great deal of difficulty. This book explores how human social interactive abilities change across the lifespan, looking at infancy, early and middle childhood, adolescence and young adulthood, adulthood, and older age, as well as healthy and atypical development. Over nine chapters, leading researchers in the field provide an overview of the most recent findings, contribute to key debates on social phenomena (including their underlying mechanisms, environmental triggers, and neural basis), and outline innovative avenues for future directions. Written in an accessible style, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers including academics and students of psychology, neuroscience, psychiatry, linguistics, and philosophy, as well as providing valuable insights for clinicians and practitioners working in the fields of social care, mental health, and education.

A complete reference to the fields of psychology and behavioral science Volume 4 is the final volume in The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science series. Providing psychologists, teachers, researchers, and students with complete reference for over 1,200 topics across four volumes, this resource in invaluable for both clinical and research settings. Coverage includes conditions, assessments, scales, diagnoses, treatments, and more, including biographies on psychologists of note and psychological organizations from across the globe. The Third Edition has been updated to reflect the growing impact of neuroscience and biomedical research, providing a highly relevant reference for the highest standard of care.

This concise volume presents key concepts and entries from the twelve-volume ICA International Encyclopedia of Communication (2008), condensing leading scholarship into a practical and valuable single volume. Based on the definitive twelve-volume IEC, this new concise edition presents key concepts and the most relevant headwords of communication science in an A-Z format in an up-to-date manner Jointly published with the International Communication Association (ICA), the leading academic association of the discipline in the world Represents the best and most up-to-date international research in this dynamic and interdisciplinary field Contributions come from hundreds of authors who represent excellence in their respective fields An affordable volume available in print or online

Both an individual's personality and well-being are important throughout their lives. This book explores the current research on links between personality predictors of well-being and social adjustment using empirical studies to suggest that their influence can vary depending on the key developmental stage.

A versatile reference text for developing and applying clinical psychopathology skills Designed to serve as a trusted desktop reference on mental disorders seen across the lifespan for mental health professionals at all levels of experience, Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders Across the Lifespan, Second Edition expertly covers etiology, clinical presentation, intake and interviewing, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of DSM disorders at all developmental stages. Unlike other references, this book takes a lifespan approach that allows readers to develop the clinical skills necessary to respond to mental health concerns in a patient-centered manner. Introductory and advanced features support clinicians at every stage of their careers and help students develop their skills and understanding. Authors Woo and Keatinge combine a review of cutting edge and state-of-the-art findings on diagnosis and treatment with the tools for diagnosing and treating a wide range of mental disorders across the lifespan. . This second edition incorporates the following changes: Fully updated to reflect the DSM-5 Chapters have been reorganized to more closely follow the structure of the DSM-5 Cultural and diversity considerations have been expanded and integrated throughout the book A new integrative model for treatment planning Expanded discussion of rapport building skills and facilitating active engagement Identity issues and the fit between client and intervention model has been added to the case conceptualization model Mental health disorders affect patients of all ages, and the skilled clinician understands that there are no one-size-fits-all treatments. Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders Across the Lifespan, Second Edition will instruct clinicians and students in psychopathology for every life stage. Praise for the first edition: Reviews This handbook, Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders Across the Lifespan, comprehensively integrates best practices necessary for clinicians who deal with a wide range of mental disorders across the continuum of development in a practical, applied, and accessible manner. One of the unique aspects of the book is the length to which the authors go to ensure that the up-to-date information contained in the book is practical, user-friendly, and accessible to beginners in clinical practice

Social skills are at the core of mental health, so much so that deficits in this area are a criterion of clinical disorders, across both the developmental spectrum and the DSM. The Practitioner’s Guide to Empirically-Based Measures of Social Skills gives clinicians and researchers an authoritative resource reflecting the ever growing interest in social skills assessment and its clinical applications. This one-of-a-kind reference approaches social skills from a social learning perspective, combining conceptual background with practical considerations, and organized for easy access to material relevant to assessment of children, adolescents, and adults. The contributors’ expert guidance covers developmental and diversity issues, and includes suggestions for the full range of assessment methods, so readers can be confident of reliable, valid testing leading to appropriate interventions. Key features of the Guide: An official publication of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Describes empirically-based assessment across the lifespan. Provides in-depth reviews of nearly 100 measures, their administration and scoring, psychometric properties, and references. Highlights specific clinical problems, including substance abuse, aggression, schizophrenia, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and social anxiety. Includes at-a-glance summaries of all reviewed measures. Offers full reproduction of more than a dozen measures for children, adolescents, and adults, e.g. the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire and the Teenage Inventory of Social Skills. As social skills assessment and training becomes more crucial to current practice and research, the Practitioner’s Guide to Empirically-Based Measures of Social Skills is a steady resource that clinicians, researchers, and graduate students will want close at hand.

That children are capable of pathology—not only such conditions as ADHD and learning disabilities, but also such "adult" disorders as anxiety and depression—stands as a defining moment in psychology’s recent history. Within this recognition is the understanding that the social skills deficits that accompany these disorders must be targeted for assessment and treatment to ensure optimal functioning in school, with peers, and in later transitions to puberty and adulthood. Social Behavior and Skills in Children cuts across disciplinary lines to clarify the scope of assessment options and interventions for a wide range of disorders. A panel of leading scholars reviews current research, discusses social deficits unique to specific disorders, and identifies evidence-based best practices in one authoritative, approachable reference. This volume: Discusses theoretical models of social skills as they relate to assessment and treatment. Analyzes the etiology of social behavior problems in children and the relation between these problems and psychopathology. Reviews 48 norm-referenced measures of social skills in children. Examines the range of evidence-based social skills interventions. Addresses challenging behaviors, such as aggression and self-injury. Focuses on specific conditions, including developmental disabilities, conduct disorders, ADHD, chronic medical illness, depression, anxiety, and severe psychopathology. Social Behavior and Skills in Children is an essential reference for university libraries as well as a must-have volume for researchers, graduate students, and clinicians in child, and school psychology, special education, and other related fields.

Counseling Across the Lifespan by Cindy L. Juntunen and Jonathan P. Schwartz is a practical book that helps readers provide effective mental, emotional, and behavioral health services to clients across the continuum of care, from health promotion through long-term treatment and remediation. Anchoring each chapter within a life stage—from childhood through older adulthood—the text identifies the nature and origin of various psychological issues and emphasizes the importance of anticipating and responding early to concerns that arise for large portions of the population. The Second Edition features new chapters and expanded coverage of important topics, such as sociocultural contextual factors and interprofessional health perspectives.

This handbook identifies the various social deficiencies widely associated with children and youth diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It discusses possible causes as well as the lifelong effects if these deficiencies are not addressed. The handbook presents current behavioral and curriculum-based methods for assessing social deficits. Chapters examine the various interventions that have been used to improve social skills and behavior, including video modeling, peer-mediated interventions, and script fading. Chapters also assess various interventions using empirically based procedures, evaluate the research of each of these procedures, provide guidelines for treatment planning, and offer clinical recommendations. The handbook concludes with future directions for the development of both social behavior and clinical social skills interventions. Topics featured in the Handbook include: Impairments in social behavior that may result in negative outcomes such as depression, loneliness, and suicide in individuals with ASD. Bullying among youth with ASD. Behavioral skills training to promote social behavior of individuals with ASD. The Early Start Denver Model approach to helping young children with ASD. The implementation of social skills groups for individuals diagnosed with ASD. The Handbook of Social Skills and Autism Spectrum Disorder is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians/professionals, and graduate students in clinical child, school, and developmental psychology, behavioral therapy, and social work, as well as such interrelated disciplines as child and adolescent psychiatry, rehabilitation medicine/therapy, pediatrics, and special education/educational psychology.

The Handbook of Communication Skills is recognised as one of the core texts in the field of communication. This thoroughly revised and updated third edition arrives at a time of considerable growing interest in this area, with recent research showing the importance of communication skills for success in many walks of life. The book's core principle, that interpersonal communication can be conceptualized as a form of skilled activity, is examined in detail and a comprehensive transactional model of skilled communication is presented, which takes into account current conceptual and research perspectives. This book provides a comprehensive analysis of research, theory and practice in the key skill areas of communication, such as non-verbal communication, persuasion, leadership, assertiveness, self-disclosure, listening and negotiation. Each chapter is written by a recognised authority in that particular specialism, among them world leaders in their particular fields. In the ten years since the last edition, a large volume of research has been published and the text has been comprehensively updated by reviewing this wealth of data. In addition a new chapter on persuasion has been added - one of the areas of most rapid growth in social psychology and communication. The Handbook of Communication Skills represents the most significant single contribution to the literature in this domain. It will be of continued interest to researchers and students in psychology and communication, as well as in a variety of other contexts, from vocational courses in health, business and education, to many others such as nursing and social work whose day-to-day work is dependent on effective interpersonal skills.

This innovative text emphasizes how communicative processes develop, are maintained, and change throughout the life span. Topics covered include language skills, interpersonal conflict management, socialization, care-giving, and relationship development. Core chapters examine specific communication processes from infancy through childhood and adolescence into middle age and later life. In its exploration of the role of communication in human development, this volume: *overviews the theoretical and methodological issues related to studying communication across the life span; *discusses foundations of communication: cognitive processes and language; *examines communication in relational contexts and communication competencies; *considers communication in leisure and the media with relevance to the life-span perspective; and *presents the implications of the life-span perspective for future research. This text is intended to be used in life-span communication courses and in interpersonal communication courses with a life-span focus, at an advanced or graduate level. It may also be used in courses on family communication, aging, and language development. It will serve as a supplemental text for courses in psychology, family studies, personal relationships, linguistics, and language studies.

– respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, fairness, caring, and citizenship.· References to and information from the latest research findings.The book also features the step-by-step component behaviors to 182 skills, from the basic (following instructions and introducing yourself) to the complex (managing stress and resolving conflict). Opening chapters explain the individual and group teaching techniques that enable youth to recognize when, where, or with whom to use a particular skill. The authors also show how to plan skill-based treatment interventions for youth with difficult problems such as substance abuse, aggression, running away, depression, or attention deficits.

PEERS® for Young Adults presents the first evidence-based group treatment program for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as other neurodevelopmental disorders and social challenges. Inside, readers will find a critical step forward in the dissemination of effective behavioral interventions for young adults in the form of 16 engaging group session outlines that are both user-friendly and backed by empirical research. Each session is accompanied by homework assignments and practice suggestions designed to reinforce the group’s understanding of the skills learned during each meeting. This practical resource will prove to be an invaluable reference for any clinician or educator working with this population.

This text takes a broad based approach to basic generalist practice methods that emphasize the common elements in working with individuals, families and groups. The goal of the book is to teach social work students how to enhance clients' social functioning by helping them become more proficient in examining, understanding, and resolving clients' social problems. The authors pay special attention to enhancing social justice by working with individuals and families who have been historically oppressed. This edition includes specific integrated coverage of the Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) latest Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Intended Audience This core text is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the introductory Direct Practice and Generalist Practice courses in BSW and MSW programs of social work.

Depression in Girls and Women Across the Lifespan takes a broad biopsychosocial approach to understanding the onset and experience of depression in women. The book is structured around four major life transitions: depression during puberty and the transition to adolescence; Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and a woman’s transition through monthly cycles of depression; depression during pregnancy, postpartum, and the transition to motherhood; and depression during perimenopause and the transition to menopause. Integrating cutting-edge research with a wealth of case examples and specific evidence-based interventions, the book expands our understanding of depression by taking into account the biological realities, psychological vulnerabilities, life stressors, and gendered cultural messages and expectations that intersect to shape the onset of depression in women’s lives. Written in a clear, applicable style, Depression in Girls and Women Across the Lifespan enables mental health professionals to provide effective, gender-informed, depression-focused treatments that are tailored to girls’ and women’s unique needs.

This comprehensive research-based book is a next-generation study of intimate relationships that explores implications for health and well-being across cultures, genders, and traditional as well as non-traditional relationships. • Explores intimate relationships across ages, cultures, traditional and non-traditional relationships • Details the effects of intimate relationships on health, well-being, and quality of life • Describes research tools and methods for assessing relationships • Explains intervention strategies for relationship problems