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  • 2018

  • Brown, Matthew D. (2018): Applied global health diplomacy: profile of health diplomats accredited to the UNITED STATES and foreign governments. In: GLOBALIZATION AND HEALTH 14

    Abstract: Background: Global health diplomacy (GHD) is a burgeoning field bridging the priorities of global health and foreign affairs. Given the increasing need to mobilize disparate global health stakeholders coupled with the need to design complex public health partnerships to tackle issues of international concern, effective and timely cooperation among state actors is critical. Health Attaches represent this coordination focal point and are key diplomatic professionals at the forefront of GHD. Despite their unique mandate, little is published about this profession and the perspectives of those who work in the field. Methods: Through purposive sampling, we performed in-depth qualitative interviews with seven Health Attaches: three foreign Health Attaches accredited to the United States and four U.S. Health Attaches accredited to foreign governments. Our interviews explored four key topics: the role and mission of Health Attaches, skills needed to perform GHD, examples of successes and challenges in accomplishing their respective missions, and suggestions for the future development of the diplomatic profession. Results: We identified several lessons to apply to the growing field of GHD. First, GHD actors need to receive appropriate training to successfully negotiate the intersection of global health and foreign affairs. Participants suggested several areas of training that would benefit GHD actors: diplomacy and negotiation, applied science, and cross-cultural competency. Second, participants articulated the need for a career path for GHD practitioners, increased opportunities for on-the-job training and mentored experiences, and GHD competencies with defined levels of mastery that can be used in occupational evaluation and career development. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that skills in diplomacy and negotiation, applied science, and cross cultural competency are essential for the statecraft of Health Attaches. Additionally, establishing a clear career pathway for Health Attaches is critical for future maturation of the profession and for fostering effective global health action that aligns public health and foreign diplomacy outcomes. Achieving these goals would ensure that this special cadre of diplomats could effectively practice GHD and would also better position Health Attaches to take the lead in advancing shared global health goals among nation states in a new era of twenty-first century diplomacy.

    Keywords: diplomatic training, SV
  • Chan, Raymond Won Shing (2018): Validating a Culturally-sensitive Social Competence Training Programme for Adolescents with ASD in a Chinese Context: An Initial Investigation. In: JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS 48 (2), S. 450-460

    Abstract: Previous studies on social skills training on ASD were done almost exclusively in the West with children as the main subjects. Demonstrations of the applicability of social interventions in different cultures and age groups are warranted. The current study outlined the development and preliminary evaluation of a CBT-context-based social competence training for ASD (CBT-CSCA) developed in Hong Kong for Chinese adolescents with ASD. Twenty-five adolescents (aged 12-17 years, with a FSIQ above 80) were recruited. Significant improvements in social competence, autistic symptoms and general psychopathology at post-training and 3-month follow-up were reported by the parents. The study provided initial evidence support to the applicability of social competence training for adolescents with ASD in a different culture.

  • 2017

  • Cusk, Rachel (2017): The Age of Rudeness. As the social contract frays, what does it mean to be polite?. In: The New York Times Magazine, 2017. Online verfügbar unter https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/magazine/the-age-of-rudeness.html, zuletzt geprüft am 14.06.2018

     

    Abstract: In a world as unmannerly as this one, how is it best to speak? There’s no need to be rude, I say to the man in the packed hall at passport control. There are people everywhere, and his job is to send them into the right queues. I have been watching him shout at them. I have watched the obsessive way he notices them, to pick on them. There’s no need to be rude, I say. His head jerks around. You’re rude, he counters. You’re the one who’s rude. This is an airport, a place of transit. There are all sorts of people here, people of different ages, races and nationalities, people in myriad sets of circumstances. In this customs hall, there are so many different versions of living that it seems possible that no one version could ever be agreed on. Does it follow, then, that nothing that happens here really matters? No, I’m not, I say. You are, he says. You’re being rude.

  • Thomson, Rebecca N. (2017): A Pilot Study of a Self-Administered Parent Training Intervention for Building Preschoolers’ Social-Emotional Competence. In: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION JOURNAL 45 (3), S. 419-426

    Abstract: Social-emotional skills are equally as crucial for school success as cognitive and academic skills (WebsterStratton and Reid in Infants Young Child 17: 96-113, 2004), yet many young children lack these skills (Lavigne et al. in J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 35:204-214, 1996). Therefore, it is essential to invest in the development of social-emotional competence at an early age-a task that necessitates active parent involvement (WebsterStratton and Reid 2004). This pilot study explored the effectiveness, integrity, and acceptability of a self-administered parent training intervention [Devereux Early Childhood Assessment-Second Edition (DECA-P2) family guide (Mackrain and Cairone in Promoting resilience for now and forever: a family guide for supporting the social and emotional development of preschool children, 2nd edn. Kaplan Early Learning Company, Lewisville, 2013)] targeting the promotion of social-emotional competence in young children (N = 12). Pre-and post-test parent reports revealed that children's social-emotional competence increased and behavior problems decreased following program completion. Parent ratings indicated the intervention was carried out as intended (i.e., integrity) and that it was helpful (i.e., acceptability). These exploratory findings suggest that this self-administered parent intervention shows promise as an alternative to face-to-face early childhood prevention services.

  • 2016

  • Althaus, Catherine (2016): Soft Diplomacy or Hard Policy Benefits? Exploring the Value of Cross-jurisdictional Learning Exchanges in Policy and Public Administration across the Asia-Pacific Region. In: ASR Chiang Mai University Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities 3 (1), S. 1-25

    Abstract: Cross-jurisdictional learning exchange opportunities are unanimously endorsed as offering value, not only to individual and organizational development, but also to policy growth and jurisdictional diplomatic relations (see, for example, Robinson, 2016). When pressed for measurable impact, however, the question is how? On what grounds do such pursuits provide value and what, if anything, is unique to the style or practice of exchange that promotes value? This article explores links between three otherwise disconnected literatures to explore the possibilities of a unique Asia-Pacific pedagogy that marries substantive comparative policy learning with practical soft diplomacy outcomes, as well as learning and executive training enhancement. The first two literatures exist in comparative policy theory and practice, namely: (a) policy learning literature on best, smart, promising, and wise practices (see, for example, Bardach n.d.; Wesley-Esquimaux and Calliou, 2011); and (b) policy diffusion/ transfer/lesson-drawing literature (see, for example, Rose, 1993; Dolowitz and Marsh, 2000; Shipan and Volden, 2008). The third literature set is situated within policy training practice, namely, interactive and immersive learning pedagogy used in the executive education space (see, for example, Alford and Brock, 2014). These literatures all speak to value propositions underpinning cross-jurisdictional learning exchanges, but in different ways. This anticle uses the discrete case of the partnership between the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) to probe and synthesize these different literature perspectives. It maps an exploratory set of propositions to test with empirical research. It argues that there may be unique Asia-Pacific benefits in the soft diplomacy and hard policy arenas that come with cross-jurisdictional learning exchanges in the policy and public administration sphere. The paper advocates for more self-conscious reflection by practitioners and theorists on unique elements of (a)n Asia-Pacific pedagogy that might characterise particular value impacts for countries in the region, as well as for the region itself.

    Keywords: diplomatic training, SV
  • Baylon, Donoxti (2016): The making of a diplomat: the case of the French Diplomatic and Consular Institute as an identity workspace. In: EUROPEAN SECURITY 25 (4), S. 502-523

    Abstract: This article analyses the creation of the Diplomatic and Consular Institute by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and conceptualises this new professional school of diplomacy as an "identity workspace" following the analysis of a cohort's learning experience. This article aims to spark a debate from a practice perspective on diplomatic training as offered by Ministries of Foreign Affairs in Europe.

  • Nisnevich, Yu. A. (2016): Corruption: instrumental conceptualisation. In: SOTSIOLOGICHESKIE ISSLEDOVANIYA (5)

    Abstract: The paper is devoted to instrumental conceptualization of corruption, including classification of its forms and definition of institutional mechanism. It proposes an analysis of conceptual approaches to corruption and demonstrates major aspects of normative approach: value judgment of corruption as an unambiguously negative phenomenon; associating corruption with contempt of law or violation of moral and ethical standards; consideration of corruption as deviant behavior. Author emphasizes challenging issues and ambiguities of this approach. A rationalist approach to corruption, including economic approach, does not address value judgments or norms and standards, but describes in terms of functional assessment its symptoms and consequences. The paper counters the claim that corruption fulfils positive functions such as deregulation and overcoming bureaucratic barriers. The paper reveals a generalized mechanism of corruption: exceeding authority and violating official powers and duties regulations, including code of conduct and ethical standards, and (or) social behavioral, moral, and ethical norms, an official or an administrative organization illegitimately distributes and uses resources of the organization to gain personal or group benefits, not to implement the functions and objectives of the organization. The author proposes a new definition of "political corruption" and describes hierarchy system of types of political and economic corruption, where the "state capture" is at the top. The author also determins institutional mechanism of corruption in the sphere of public power, the essence of which lies in the various types of abuse of its resources. While conceptualizing corruption in public policy in an instrumental way, it is defined as an abuse, misuse of public power resources by a public official not for implementing functions of the state or providing social progress, but for obtaining undue preferences or deriving tangible or intangible personal or group benefits, including gaining advantages in favor of third parties.

    Keywords: Fehlverhalten, hierarchy, SV
  • Schmitz, Muriel; Röhr-Sendlmeier, Una M. (2016): Sozial-Emotionale Kompetenz. In: KINDHEIT UND ENTWICKLUNG 25 (2), S. 114-121. DOI: 10.1026/0942-5403/a000194

    Abstract: Recent research has pointed to the importance of the interaction of emotions, perception of emotional expressions in social contexts, and emotion regulation for nonaggressive behavior in children. Evaluations underline the positive impact of prevention programs rather than interventional therapy for children. Long-term curricular training aiming at nonviolent behavior was shown to be successful; however, comprehensive programs cannot always be administered in every-day school contexts. Thus, a short-term prevention program for elementary school fourth-graders was developed for training in the classroom. The program Peaceful Cooperation in Conflict Situations aims at improving the sensitivity and understanding of emotions in self and others, perspective taking in conflict situations, and knowledge of how to communicate nonviolently. In a longitudinal control group study including block randomization, 184 elementary school children in fourth grade participated in the study; 177 complete data records entered the final analysis. The pretest instruments were (a) a paper-and-pencil test measuring the children's social-emotional competencies (i.e., identifying emotional expressions in pictures; describing emotions of aggressors and victims in conflict situations involving children; writing down options of positive behavior to solve the situation peacefully) and (b) teachers' ratings of their pupils' altruistic behavior and emotional and social problems. Two weeks later, the training was administered during three 90-min lessons within a period of 4 weeks. The controls received no special treatment. At posttest 16 weeks after the training, the same tests were administered. Data analyses (MANOVA, ANOVA) revealed that the intervention group improved considerably and with great effects in their social-emotional proficiency as a result of the training. At posttest, they had far advanced in all tested abilities in comparison with their pretest results. They acquired a significantly better understanding of emotions and perspective taking in conflict situations than the controls did. The trained children were rated more favorably by their teachers with respect to their prosocial behavior than at pretest 5 months earlier. The study supports findings from two previous studies with third graders. It shows that a short-term program aiming at enhancing social-emotional knowledge in children can lead to positive results with effects lasting at least several months later. The program can help to prevent the escalation of conflicts and to further peaceful communication. For implementation in schools on a larger scale, measures will have to be taken to ensure the transfer of the reported results.

  • Snapp, Christine M.; Leary, Mark R. (2016): Hurt Feelings among New Acquaintances. Moderating Effects of Interpersonal Familiarity. In: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 18 (3), S. 315-326. DOI: 10.1177/0265407501183001

    Abstract: Previous research suggests that people's feelings are hurt more frequently by those whom they know well than by strangers and acquaintances, but these findings are based on retrospective accounts of hurtful events. This study examined the moderating effect of familiarity on hurt feelings among people who have recently become acquainted. Participants were led to experience either a relatively low or high degree of familiarity with a confederate. Afterwards, the confederate chose to listen either primarily to them or another participant as they talked about themselves. Results showed that participants were significantly more hurt when they were ignored by a confederate who barely knew them than by a confederate who was more familiar with them. Effects of being ignored showed a similar pattern on a measure of state self-esteem.

  • 2015

  • Qiu, Lin; Lu, Jiahui; Yang, Shanshan; Qu, Weina; Zhu, Tingshao (2015): What does your selfie say about you?. In: Computers in Human Behavior 52, S. 443-449. DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.06.032

    Abstract: Selfies refer to self-portraits taken by oneself using a digital camera or a smartphone. They become increasingly popular in social media. However, little is known about how selfies reflect their owners' personality traits and how people judge others' personality from selfies. In this study, we examined the association between selfies and personality by measuring participants' Big Five personality and coding their selfies posted on a social networking site. We found specific cues in selfies related to agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness. We also examined zero-acquaintance personality judgment and found that observers had moderate to strong agreement in their ratings of Big Five personality based on selfies. However, they could only accurately predict selfie owners' degree of openness. This study is the first to reveal personality-related cues in selfies and provide a picture-coding scheme that can be used to analyze selfies. We discussed the difference between personality expression in selfies and other types of photos, and its possible relationship with impression management of social media users.

  • Raitaniemi, Mia (2015): THE TERMINATION OF FINNISH AND GERMAN TELEPHONE CALLS. AN INTERACTION LINGUISTIC, CONTRASTIVE STUDIES. In: NEUPHILOLOGISCHE MITTEILUNGEN 116 (2), S. 475-483
  • Schomaker, Hendrik; Schultheiß, Jan; Petermann, Franz; Petermann, Ulrike (2015): Mangelnde soziale Kompetenz im Jugendalter. In: KINDHEIT UND ENTWICKLUNG 24 (2), S. 123-130. DOI: 10.1026/0942-5403/a000167

    Abstract: The JobFit Training, a universal prevention program for adolescents, aims to prevent developmental deviation at the time of transition from school to profession. The present study evaluates the effectiveness of this training, considering adolescents in an educational setting. 78 adolescents, aged between 13.5 and 19.4 years, were the selected from a total sample of 446 adolescents. Inclusion criteria were abnormal prosocial behavior scores assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The social and learning behavior ratings of the adolescents were assessed with the Student Self-Assessment Scale for Social and Learning Behavior (SSL). The comparison of the pre- and posttraining measurements shows significant differences with small and medium effects in the SSL domain "social behavior" and the related scales "self-control", "self assertion", and "social contact" as well as in the SSL domain "learning behavior" and the related scale "independent learning". These findings confirm that JobFit Training as a tool that encourages social skills within adolescent populations with deficits in personal resources.

  • 2014

  • Iucu, Oana (2014): ’e-Protocol’ AND IC. In: TRANSYLVANIAN REVIEW OF ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES, S. 21-33

    Abstract: The current research aims at providing the academic world with a new integrated and cross-disciplinary approach to Protocol and IT&ICT consequences for administrative staff training. The need to upgrade and update the training programs for public administrations staff according to IC&T requirements matches the prospective expert / professionals framework of competences. A key observation is that the litera-ture in the feld of staff training for social and institutional protocol within notorious training centers focuses more on the status-quo of the desirable competences and less on technology. By means of a rather refexive set of tools, we have tried to offer some support so as to digitize the social and institutional protocol, thus promoting some software packages designed by experts in both fields. Moreover, this software is likely to sustain both training and professional development pro-grams as well as effcient specialized procedures for promotion and simulation.

  • Vaccaro, A. (2014): Social skills training and cognitive training. Are the efficacy to reach social competence and cognitive abilities?. In: EUROPEAN PSYCHIATRY 29

    Abstract: The majority of data on long term interventions on social disabilities are shown in international experiences for systematized models which are mainly cognitive-behavioural informed. Few dates are related to the experiences carried out in Italy after the changes in the psychiatric services. Emerging evidences demonstrated a relationship between cognitive deficits and social disability in patients with schizophrenia; currently they are considered an important target of both pharmacological and psychological (in particular, Cognitive Trainings, CT) treatments of these patients. The aim is to demonstrate the efficacy of Social Skills Training and Cognitive Training to achieve social competence, cognitive abilities and reduce vulnerability of patients with schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia can clearly improve their social competence with social skills training and cognitive remediation, which may translate into a more adaptive functioning in the community. Thirty adult inpatients (from 18 to 55 years of age) with ICD-10-based diagnoses of schizophrenia were randomly assigned to three different groups: active intervention from 30 months (IPT-a group); active intervention from 18 months (IPT-b group); and treatment as usual (control group). Outcome measures were cognition (ENB-2) and social skills assessment (Valutazione Abilità Sociali) of five sub unit. Cognitive behavior therapy may benefit the large number of patients who continue to experience disabling psychotic symptoms despite optimal pharmacological treatment. The results of studies investigating the efficacy of TC and SST are not univocal, probably due to differences in the implementation of the programs and the heterogeneity of participants.

  • 2013

  • Ashkzari, M. K. (2013): Designing and implementation a life skills training program for improving social competence and academic achievement of first grade high school girl students in tehran city. In: EUROPEAN PSYCHIATRY 28

    Abstract: The aim of present research was to investigate the impact of life skills training program on the advancement of social competence and academic achievement of first grade high school girl students in Tehran city. The sample of this experimental research consists of two groups of thirty students from 14 and 2 education zones of Tehran. Students were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The research tools used in this study were social competence questionnaire (r = 0.89) and 1st and 2nd term grade point averages, which were taken twice as the pre and post tests. Experimental group took part in 12 sessions of life skills training program (90 minutes each which consisted of: self awareness, decision making & problem solving, time management, control of aggression, assertiveness, coping with stress & interpersonal relationships). Data was analyzed using covariance statistical test (ANCOVA). Results showed that experimental group benefited from life skills training program and their social competence and its components (cognitive, motivational, behavioral and emotional) improved significantly, but the impact on their academic achievement was not significant.

  • Khademi Ashkzari, M.; Khademi Ashkzari, E. (2013): 432 – Designing and implementation a life skills training program for improving social competence and academic achievement of first grade high school girl students in tehran city. In: EUROPEAN PSYCHIATRY 28. DOI: 10.1016/S0924-9338(13)75774-2

    Abstract: The aim of present research was to investigate the impact of life skills training program on the advancement of social competence and academic achievement of first grade high school girl students in Tehran city. The sample of this experimental research consists of two groups of thirty students from 14 and 2 education zones of Tehran. Students were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The research tools used in this study were social competence questionnaire (r = 0.89) and 1st and 2nd term grade point averages, which were taken twice as the pre and post tests. Experimental group took part in 12 sessions of life skills training program (90 minutes each which consisted of: self awareness, decision making & problem solving, time management, control of aggression, assertiveness, coping with stress & interpersonal relationships). Data was analyzed using covariance statistical test (ANCOVA). Results showed that experimental group benefited from life skills training program and their social competence and its components (cognitive, motivational, behavioral and emotional) improved significantly, but the impact on their academic achievement was not significant.

  • Ku, Heng-Yu; Tseng, Hung Wei; Akarasriworn, Chatchada (2013): Collaboration factors, teamwork satisfaction, and student attitudes toward online collaborative learning. In: Computers in Human Behavior 29 (3), S. 922-929. DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2012.12.019

    Abstract: This study examined online courses with collaborative learning components from 197 graduate students across three consecutive academic years. A student attitude survey containing 20 items and a student teamwork satisfaction scale containing 10 items on a 5-point Likert-type scale with three open-ended questions regarding their online collaborating experiences were collected during the final week of each semester. Results revealed that the three extracted online collaboration factors (Team Dynamics, Team Acquaintance, and Instructor Support) from the student attitude survey had moderate to high degrees of correlation with teamwork satisfaction. Results also revealed that the three collaboration factors accounted for 53% of the variance in online teamwork satisfaction. In addition, results from both surveys and open-ended questions revealed students favored working collaboratively in an online environment.

  • 2012

  • McLeod, Sharynne; Harrison, Linda J.; McCormack, Jane (2012): The Intelligibility in Context Scale. Validity and Reliability of a Subjective Rating Measure. In: Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research 55 (2). DOI: 10.1044/1092-4388(2011/10-0130)

    Abstract: Purpose: To describe a new measure of functional intelligibility, the Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS), and evaluate its validity, reliability, and sensitivity using 3 clinical measures of severity of speech sound disorder: (a) percentage of phonemes correct (PPC), (b) percentage of consonants correct (PCC), and (c) percentage of vowels correct (PVC). Method: Speech skills of 120 preschool children (109 with parent-/teacher-identified concern about how they talked and made speech sounds and 11 with no identified concern) were assessed with the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (Dodd, Hua, Crosbie, Holm, & Ozanne, 2002). Parents completed the 7-item ICS, which rates the degree to which children's speech is understood by different communication partners (parents, immediate family, extended family, friends, acquaintances, teachers, and strangers) on a 5-point scale. Results: Parents' ratings showed that most children were always (5) or usually (4) understood by parents, immediate family, and teachers, but only sometimes (3) by strangers. Factor analysis confirmed the internal consistency of the ICS items; therefore, ratings were averaged to form an overall intelligibility score. The ICS had high internal reliability (alpha=.93), sensitivity, and construct validity. Criterion validity was established through significant correlations between the ICS and PPC (r=.54),PCC (r=.54), and PVC (r=.36). Conclusions: The ICS is a promising new measure of functional intelligibility. These data provide initial support for the ICS as an easily administered, valid, and reliable estimate of preschool children's intelligibility when speaking with people of varying levels of familiarity and authority.

  • Windhager, Sonja; Bookstein, Fred L.; Grammer, Karl; Oberzaucher, Elisabeth; Said, Hasen; Slice, Dennis E.; Thorstensen, Truls; Schaefer, Katrin (2012): “Cars have their own faces”. Cross-cultural ratings of car shapes in biological (stereotypical) terms. In: Evolution and Human Behavior 33 (2), S. 109-120. DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2011.06.003

    Abstract: It was recently shown that Austrians associate car front geometry with traits in a way that could be related to face shape geometry mapping to those same overall suites of traits. Yet, possible confounding effects of familiarity with the car models, media coverage and entertainment could not be ruled out. In order to address this, the current study uses a cross-cultural comparison. Adult subjects in two countries (Austria and Ethiopia, n=129) were asked to rate person characteristics of 46 standardized front views of automobiles on various trait scales. These two countries differ substantially with regard to their experience with car models and brands, as well as car marketing and media coverage. Geometric morphometrics was then used to assess the shape information underlying trait attribution. Car shapes for perceived maturity, maleness and dominance were highly similar in both countries, with patterns comparable to shape changes during facial growth in humans: Relative sizes of the forehead and windshield decrease with age/growth, eyes and headlights both become more slit-like, noses and grilles bigger, lips and air-intakes are wider. Austrian participants further attributed various degrees of some interpersonal attitudes and emotions, whereas neither Austrians nor Ethiopians congruently ascribed personalities. Morphological correlates of personal characteristics are discussed, as are person perception and its overgeneralization to inanimate objects. Cross-cultural similarities and differences are addressed, as well as implications for car styling, follow-up studies on driving and pedestrian behavior, and fundamental dimensions in inference from (human) faces.

  • 2011

  • Gooding, Lori F. (2011): The Effect of a Music Therapy Social Skills Training Program on Improving Social Competence in Children and Adolescents with Social Skills Deficits. In: JOURNAL OF MUSIC THERAPY 48 (4), S. 440-462

    Abstract: Three separate studies were conducted in school, residential and after-school care settings to test the effectiveness of a music therapy-based social skills intervention program on improving social competence in children and adolescents. A total of 45 children (n = 12; n = 13; n = 20) aged 6-17 years with social skills deficits participated in a group-based five session intervention program. The same curriculum, adapted to be age appropriate, was used at all 3 sites. Specific deficits within the social skills areas of peer relations and seff-management skills were targeted. Active interventions like music performance, movement to music and improvisation were used. Cognitive-behavioral techniques like modeling, feedback, transfer training and problem solving were also incorporated. Data on social functioning were collected before, during; and after the music therapy intervention from participants, appropriate adult personnel and via behavioral observations. Results indicated that significant improvements in social functioning were found in (a) school participant pre and post self-ratings, (b) researcher pre and post ratings of school participants, (c) case manager's pre and post treatment ratings for the residential participants, (d) after-school care participants' pre and post self-ratings, and (e) behavioral observations at all three settings. Additional changes, although not significant, were noted in teacher ratings, residential participant self- and peer ratings, and after-school case manager ratings. Results from these studies suggest that the music therapy intervention was effective in improving social competence in children and adolescents with social deficits. More research is warranted to provide additional guidance about the use of music therapy interventions to improve social functioning.

  • Nestler, J.; Goldbeck, L. (2011): A pilot study of social competence group training for adolescents with borderline intellectual functioning and emotional and behavioural problems (SCT-ABI). In: Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR 55 (2), S. 231-241. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01369.x

    DOI: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21199047 

    Abstract: BACKGROUND Emotional and behavioural problems as well as a lack of social competence are common in adolescents with borderline intellectual functioning and impair their social and vocational integration. Group interventions specifically developed for this target group are scarce and controlled evaluation studies are absent. METHODS A cognitive-behavioural group training (Social Competence Training for Adolescents with Borderline Intelligence) was developed and its effectiveness was examined in students attending special vocational schools. A total of 77 adolescents with borderline intelligence were randomised either to the intervention (n=40) or to the control group (n=37). Outcome measures at post-treatment and at a 6-month follow-up comprised self-reports, caregiver reports and behavioural observations. RESULTS The adolescents in the intervention group showed temporally stable improvement in their social competence, especially in social problem solving (F=17.6, P<0.001) and attainment of individual behavioural goals in everyday life (self-reports: F=15.9, P<0.001; caregiver reports: F=87.9, P<0.001). Effects of the intervention on other outcomes such as problem-solving competence and skills performed in standardised role plays were weak or absent. CONCLUSIONS Social Competence Training for Adolescents with Borderline Intelligence is a promising treatment for adolescents with borderline intellectual functioning and associated emotional/behavioural symptoms. Further studies examining long-term effects on the participants' social and vocational integration are needed.

  • 2010

  • Fleenor, John W.; Smither, James W.; Atwater, Leanne E.; Braddy, Phillip W.; Sturm, Rachel E. (2010): Self–other rating agreement in leadership. A review. In: The Leadership Quarterly 21 (6), S. 1005-1034. DOI: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2010.10.006

    Abstract: This paper reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on self-other rating agreement (SOA) related to leadership in the workplace focusing primarily on research published between 1997 (the year of Atwater & Yammarino s seminal paper on SOA) and the present. Much of the current interest in SOA derives from its purported relationships with self-awareness and leader effectiveness The literature however has used a variety of metrics to assess SOA resulting in discrepancies between findings across studies As multi-rater (360-degree multisource) feedback instruments continue to be widely used as a measure of leadership in organizations it is important that we more clearly understand the relationships between SOA and its predictors and outcomes To this end in this article we review (a) models of agreement (b) factors affecting self ratings and the congruence between self-others ratings (c) factors affecting others ratings (d) correlates of agreement and (e) measurement issues and data analytic techniques We conclude with discussions of practitioner issues and directions for future research.

  • Naus, Peter J.; Eckenrode, John J. (2010): Age Differences and Degree of Acquaintance as Determinants of Interpersonal Distance. In: The Journal of Social Psychology 93 (1), S. 133-134. DOI: 10.1080/00224545.1974.9923137
  • Soucek, Roman; Pospech, Ivonne; Moser, Klaus (2010): Evaluation eines Trainings zur Förderung sozialer Kompetenzen von Auszubildenden. In: Zeitschrift für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie A&O 54 (4), S. 182-191. DOI: 10.1026/0932-4089/a000032

    Abstract: This paper discusses approaches to promote social competence in the context of vocational training and presents a training program for apprentices. The proposed training intervention addresses issues concerning communication and cooperation and encompasses several teamwork exercises as well as role-playing exercises in order to foster the apprentices' skills. Furthermore, an integrated workshop with apprenticeship supervisors aims to improve role clarity of the trainees. The training intervention was evaluated within a longitudinal design with one pretest and two posttest assessments (N = 45). The results reveal that the training contributes to improvements of knowledge and role clarity. We also found specific effects on the improvement of social competence. In particular, a higher improvement of knowledge and role clarity is associated with higher levels of social competence. Overall, the study shows that improving the conditions of social competence, i.e., knowledge and role clarity, are critical factors for the promotion of social competence.

  • 2009

  • Cotugno, Albert J. (2009): Social competence and social skills training and intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In: JOURNAL OF AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS 39 (9), S. 1268-1277. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-009-0741-4

    DOI: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19365716 

    Abstract: This study examined the effectiveness of a 30 week social competence and social skills group intervention program with children, ages 7-11, diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Eighteen children with ASD were assessed with pretreatment and posttreatment measures on the Walker-McConnell Scale (WMS) and the MGH YouthCare Social Competence Development Scale. Each received the 30-week intervention program. For comparison, a matched sample of ten non-ASD children was also assessed, but received no treatment. The findings indicated that each ASD intervention group demonstrated significant gains on the WMS and significant improvement in the areas of anxiety management, joint attention, and flexibility/transitions. Results suggest that this approach can be effective in improving core social deficits in individuals with ASD.