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Social Skills and
Counseling Approaches
The Learning Clinic
Katie McGrady, Psy.D.
Raymond W. DuCharme, Ph.D.
Pragmatic Language Skills
The practical use
of language
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Survey Instructions
Likert Scale of 0 - 5
Absence of skill
0
1
0 – 20%
Rarely
2
21 – 40%
Sometimes
3
41 – 60%
Requires further observation
4
61 – 80%
Mastery in most settings;
Some internalization
5
81 – 100%
Mastered; consistent in all settings;
internalized
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Survey Instructions
Likert Scale of 0 - 5
0
Absence of skill
1
1 – 20%
2
3
21 – 40% Sometimes
41 – 60% Requires further observation
Mastery in most settings;
61 – 80%
Some internalization
4
5
81 – 100%
Rarely
Mastered; consistent in all settings;
internalized
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Primary Deficits of AS

Two of the salient characteristics of AS
are deficits in language and in
communication.
THE LEARNING CLINIC
TOPIC
The “subject” of the
communication
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Establishing a Conversation
Can the student appropriately
establish a conversation?

Select & introduce a topic
– Choose a topic
– Initiate the presentation of information
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Maintaining a Conversation
Can the student appropriately
maintain a conversation?

Duration of topic
– Is the student “long-winded”?

Appropriate turn-taking
– Wait for pause in conversation before
speaking
– Give others “space” to speak
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Content of the Topic

Accuracy
– Is the information accurate or distorted?

Logic
– One thought logically follows another
– Giving reasonable information representing
sound judgment

Relevance
– Information relevant to the people and setting

Conciseness
– Information is concise and succinct
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Changing Topics Appropriately
Change topic of conversation to
coincide with shifts in conversation
 Incorporate verbal & nonverbal cues to
know when a change in topic is
appropriate
 Demonstrate cognitive flexibility to shift
from one topic to another
 Appropriate introduction of new topic
 Transitional statements

THE LEARNING CLINIC
Revising Messages to Fit
Changes in Topic

When new information is received,
does the student:
– Revise messages within flow of reciprocal
conversation
OR
– Rigidly adhere to previously formed
concepts & opinions
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Modifying Message to Repair
Breakdown in Communication

When the student perceives a
misunderstanding of the message,
can s/he:
– Modify the message
– Adjust the message so it is better
understood
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Appropriately Terminating
Conversation

Can the student:
– Use appropriate closing statements
rather than walking away or starting
another activity
THE LEARNING CLINIC
PURPOSE
The inferred “why” behind
the communication
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Requesting / Asking

Who - When - What - Why - How
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Either / or
Inquire about another’s emotions
Ask product questions
Elicit information about a process/sequence
Request an action
Ask permission
Ask clarification rather than feigning understanding
Ask questions which suggest an action
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Informing

Explain, describe, or identify things
 Express personal judgments, opinions,
attitudes, etc.
 Express beliefs about other’s abilities
 Inform others of their choices, answer
questions, or indicate their compliance
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Regulating
Use of statements that are intended to control
another’s behavior, to get one’s attention, negotiate,
or influence actions

Use warnings or reminders
 Delineate personal claims
 Label the speaker who gets the next turn
and use persuasion appropriately
 Attempt to delay or speed-up the actions of
oneself or others
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Expressing (receptive/expressive)
Use of expressive statements and
understanding of other’s use of same





Identify and express emotions
Tell jokes; understand & respond to other’s
jokes
Apologize, congratulate, or exclaim
Use and respond to teasing appropriately
Volume and tone consistent with situation
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Ritualizing
Social communication that involves an
“automatic” element in the response

Use of good manners and common social
amenities
 Use of automatic social exchanges with a
specific context / audience
THE LEARNING CLINIC
ABSTRACTION
The type of message that is
communicated by language
that is not concrete
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Use, understand, & respond to:
Sarcasm
 Idioms & figurative language
 Indirect messages

THE LEARNING CLINIC
VISUAL / GESTURAL CUES
Nonverbal means of
communicating attitudes,
moods, or affective states
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Visual / Gestural Cues

Use appropriate visual / gestural cues
– Eye contact
– Facial expression
– Proximity
– Body movements

Appropriately respond to other’s use of
these cues
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Eye Contact
Respond appropriately to other’s
eye contact
 Use eye contact appropriate to the
situation

(rather than avoiding eye contact or using
it inconsistently)
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Gestures / Body Posture
Body language (posture) can be consistent
with the message & enhance it, or inconsistent
and confuse the message
Use gestures & body postures
appropriate to the person, setting, and
communication
 Accurately “read” and respond to
other’s use of body language

THE LEARNING CLINIC
Facial Expression
Facial expressions, such as a frown or smile,
are nonverbal forms of communication

Use facial expressions
– Consistent with their verbal message
– Appropriate for the setting

Accurately “read” & respond to other’s
use of facial expressions
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Proximity / Distance
Proximity refers to the distance
one stands from another

Awareness of other’s personal space
– Maintain appropriate distance from others
– Adjust distance from others in response to their
behavior

Differential use of personal space with
family, friends, others
– Adjust use of personal space for different settings
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Physical Contact
Use of touch as a means of communication &
to influence the behavior of others

Use touch to facilitate communication
 Use common forms of physical contact to
communicate with others
– “High fives” with a peer
Avoid physical contact with another’s private
body parts
 Response to touch is appropriate to person
and context

THE LEARNING CLINIC
Functional Analysis

Social

Cognitive

Behavioral
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Problem Identification
Assess Level of
Emotional Arousal
Cognitive
Difficulties
Behavioral
Difficulties
Self-Control
Difficulties
SelfMonitoring
Appropriate
Social Skills
Social Skills? NO Training
Cognitive
Distortion?
YES
Cognitive
Restructuring
Appropriate
Self-Control
Skills?
NO
YES
Level of
Environmental
Response
Contingent LOW Manipulation
Reinforcement
HIGH
ProblemSolving
Deficit?
SelfInstruction
Training
YES
Problem
Solving
Training
YES
NO
SelfEvaluation
SelfReinforcement
SelfInstruction
Re-examine
Problem
NO
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Appropriate Social Skills

Does the child have the appropriate social skills
needed to interact in an acceptable social
manner?

Have they been able to pick up social cues
throughout their lives to learn socially
acceptable behavior?

Do they have the cognitive and language
processing abilities to assimilate the knowledge
of socially acceptable behaviors?
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Level of Response-Contingent
Reinforcement?

What is the student’s level of response
to reinforcement contingencies?

Avoid response-cost systems

Does the environment reinforce the
correct targeted behavior?

If not, what behavior does it reinforce?
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Cognitive Distortion

Does the student have the ability to reflect
and evaluate his/her behavior?
= cognitive deficit

Does the student have maladaptive or
dysfunctional thinking patterns; or do they
perceive situations and are unable to
evaluate the situation with an accurate
perspective?
= cognitive distortion
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Problem-Solving Deficit?

Does the student have the problem-solving and
organizational skills needed to solve problems?

Can the student accurately read context cues
and adjust his/her behavior accordingly?

Does the student have the ability to identify
ineffective strategies?

Does the student have the ability to effectively
apply the correct strategy?
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Self-Control

Does the student have impulse control?

Does the student remember previously stated
rules, direction, and rehearsal?

Is the student able to learn to self-regulate?

Is the student able to perform skills with cues?

Is the student able to perform appropriate
learned skills without prompt from cues?
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Social Pragmatics Group
Curriculum
Interventions for
practical application
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Pragmatics of social interaction
& communication objectives












Personal space & boundaries
Full range of emotions
Verbal & nonverbal communication
Emotions associated with nonverbal communication
Tone and pitch
Volume
“Messages” connoted by nonverbal communication
Cue reading
Topics of conversation
Entry and exit skills of communication
Give and receive feedback
Seek feedback
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Format for Sessions


Define the skills and give examples
Discuss - facilitate group discussion to help students
understand how the skill is used in everyday life.
– How does the presence or absence of the skill impact
one’s life?
– What are opportunities to use the skill?


Exercise and Videotape - involve the students in an
activity to practice the skill
View the videotape and provide opportunity for peer
and staff verbal feedback
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Demonstrate an understanding of
personal space & boundaries

Define: Personal space

Discuss: Appropriate distance
(about one arm’s length)
THE LEARNING CLINIC

Exercise and Videotape: Role-play situations
in which students attend to personal space
in a group situation. Students practice
adjusting their distance from others.
– Meeting someone for the first time
– Talking with other students at school
– Approaching a store clerk to ask a question

View videotape and feedback:
– Visual feedback - each student views and
evaluates own performance
– Verbal feedback - peers provide feedback
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Demonstrate the ability to
identify a full range of emotions

Define: Different types and degree/levels of
emotions and difference between obvious and
subtle emotions

Discuss: Help make a chart of the full range of
emotions. Each student must give an example of
the emotion they identify.
THE LEARNING CLINIC

Exercise and Videotape: Students demonstrate how
they look when they experience that emotion.

View videotape and feedback:
– Visual feedback - each student views their own
performance:
What did they do well?
What could have been done better?
– Verbal feedback - peers provide feedback
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Additional Interventions

Pantomime
 Contracting & self-assessments
 Cognitive behavioral therapy
 Dyadic sessions
THE LEARNING CLINIC
Assessment through Intervention
Social
Skills
Training
Pragmatic
Skill
Assessment
Pragmatic
Skills
Training
AS
Functional
Analysis
Cognitive
Behavioral
Interventions
THE LEARNING CLINIC