Treating Social Skill Deficits in Children with Learning Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis of the Research

Abstract

Although social skills training or intervention for children with learning disabilities has been widely used in the past 15 years, little systematic synthesis of its effectiveness is available. The current study is a meta-analysis of 53 studies on social skills training completed during this period. The mean effect size (ES) obtained was only .211, with very few differences among teachers, peers, or children themselves who judged effectiveness of training. This relatively modest effect is discussed in relation to other special interventions for children with school learning or behavioral disorders and possible links between learning disabilities and social skills that might account for poor treatment outcome.