The Impact of Computer Games on the Social Skills of Elementary School Students: A Comprehensive Analysis.

Objective: The present study aimed to explore the influence of digital games on the social skills of male students in elementary schools, focusing on the impact of different games on various social behaviors. Methods: The study employed a causal-comparative design, utilising cluster random sampling to select participants. The sample consisted of 192 male students in the fourth through sixth grades, divided into players and nonplayers. Data were collected using the Social Support Scale Matson (1983) and a researcher-made questionnaire for computer games. The validity and reliability of the instruments were established through Cronbach's alpha coefficient, item correlation with dimensions, and correlation of dimensions with the total score and content validity. Results: The results indicated significant differences between player and nonplayer students in nonsocial behaviors, seeking superiority, and relationships with peers. Aggression and seeking superiority were higher in fifth-grade students than fourth- and sixth-grade students. Fifth- and sixth-grade students scored higher than fourth graders in these areas. The study found that Clash of Clans promoted appropriate social behaviors and peer relationships, while Fortnite had a significant positive effect on peer relationships. Mortal Kombat had a negative and significant effect on aggression and nonsocial behaviors compared to other games. Regression analysis revealed that playing time and type of play were significant predictors of social skills, with playing time being a more effective predictor than the type of play. Conclusion: The study concluded that digital games can significantly influence the social skills of male students in elementary schools. Specifically, Clash of Clans and Fortnite were found to have positive effects on social behaviors and peer relationships, while Mortal Kombat had negative effects. The findings suggest that the time spent playing games is a more critical factor in predicting social skills than the type of game played.

A Self-Narrative Study: Changes in Physical Ability and Social Communication in Children with Autism through Taekwondo Training with Elements of Music Therapy from the Parents' Perspective.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) significantly affects social and motor skills development in early, middle or even late childhood. To promote social and motor skills development among autistic children, an intervention consisting of Taekwondo and elements of music therapy was designed and implemented in Hong Kong. The objective of the current study is to investigate the effectiveness of this training, based on parents' observations of their children who had completed the key stage of the training. Thirteen parents or caregivers (n = 13) whose children with autism participated in our Taekwondo training for two months were interviewed. Three major themes were identified by thematic analysis: (A) social skills-related change after the intervention, (B) motor skills-related change after the intervention, (C) characteristics of the intervention (i.e., session arrangement, tutor/coach attitude). Our findings show that our training was perceived by parents to have a significant impact on the promotion of physical ability and social communication in autistic children.

Social and Cognitive Skills (SCOPE)-a generic model for multi-professional work and education in healthcare.

In this article, we present a generic model for social and cognitive skills that can be used in work and (simulation-based) education in healthcare. We combined existing non-technical skills tools into a tool that we call SCOPE. SCOPE is a model that comprises the three social categories of "teamwork", "leading", and "task management" as well as the two cognitive categories of "situation awareness" and "decision making". Each category comprises between three and six elements. We formulated guiding questions for each category in an attempt to emphasize its core meaning. We developed a dynamic graphical representation of the categories that emphasize the constant changes in the relative importance of the categories over the course of a clinical or educational situation. Anecdotal evidence supports the value of the model for aligning language around social and cognitive skills across specialties and professions.

Adolescent mental health interventions: a narrative review of the positive effects of physical activity and implementation strategies.

Introduction: The psychological well-being of adolescents is a global concern due to increasing societal pressures and mental health issues. Physical activity is known to enhance physical health and has potential benefits for mental health, including reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, boosting self-esteem, and improving social skills. This narrative review explores how physical activity can serve as an intervention to help adolescents manage psychological stress and prevent mental health issues. Methods: An extensive literature search was conducted using databases such as PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus. Keywords included "adolescent mental health," "physical activity," "psychological intervention," "types of exercise," "anxiety," "depression," "self-esteem," "social skills," and "emotional regulation." Studies were included based on relevance, peer-reviewed status, and involvement of adolescent populations. Data were extracted and analyzed qualitatively, focusing on the psychological impacts of different types of physical activity. Sixty one articles were eventually included. Results and conclusion: The review identified multiple studies highlighting the positive effects of various physical activities on adolescent mental health. Aerobic exercises were found to improve mood and cognitive function, strength training reduced depressive symptoms and increased self-efficacy, team sports enhanced social skills and a sense of community, and mind-body practices like yoga and tai chi improved stress management and emotional regulation. The findings suggest that physical activity can play a significant role in promoting adolescent mental health. Implementation strategies in school and community settings, including integrating physical activity into school curricula, offering diverse activity options, training professional instructors, encouraging family and community involvement, and regular monitoring and evaluation, are recommended. Future research should address limitations such as sample diversity and long-term effects. This narrative review underscores the importance of physical activity in enhancing adolescent mental health. Effective implementation strategies and multi-sector collaboration are essential for maximizing the benefits of physical activity interventions.

Social Skills Interventions for Adolescents with Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective: Evidence on the efficacy of social skills training for adolescents with Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is unclear. Method: We searched Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science until July 27th, 2023, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of social skills training for pre-adolescents and adolescents (aged 9-18) with Level 1 ASD. We then pooled data on efficacy from individual RCTs by conducting multivariate mixed-effects meta-analyses in R. We estimated possible bias in the retained RCTs using the RoB2 tool. Results: We retained 36 RCTs (encompassing 2796 participants), including 18 RCTs comparing an experimental treatment to a waiting list, and 18 RCTs comparing it to standard care/control treatment. Meta-analyses showed that experimental treatments were significantly more efficacious than waiting list or standard care/ control treatments in improving social skills (SMD = 0.3745; 95%CI = [0.2396; 0.5093]), as well as reducing behavioral symptoms (0.3154;0.1783, 0.4525) and anxious/depressive symptoms (0.2780; 0.0432, 0.5128). However, for some outcomes there was significant heterogeneity across studies and evidence of publication bias. Subgroup analyses and meta-regressions did not identify any specific clinical or demographic factors as significant predictors of outcome. The most common risk of bias across studies was related to deviations from intended interventions and measurement of the outcomes. Conclusions: At the group level, social skills training for adolescents with Level 1 ASD is efficacious, with small-to-moderate effect size. Future research should focus on personalized medicine approaches, aimed at tailoring interventions to specific characteristics of adolescents with Level 1 ASD.

An evaluation of intervention appropriateness from the perspective of parents: A peer-mediated, play-based intervention for children with ADHD.

INTRODUCTION: A peer-mediated, play-based intervention has been developed to address social participation challenges experienced by children with ADHD. To facilitate implementation into clinical practice, interventions should be evaluated for appropriateness to the end-user, as well as effectiveness. Previous research demonstrated the approach is effective for improving children's social play skills. This study aimed to evaluate the appropriateness of the intervention for children with ADHD and their families. METHODS: Parents of children with ADHD who participated in the play-based intervention were interviewed 1 month after completion. Parents were asked about their perspective of parent and children's experiences of the intervention, the perceived benefits for children and parents, the logistics of participating, and recommended adaptations to the intervention. Interviews were analysed thematically, and themes were mapped to the elements of the adopted definition of appropriateness to understand whether parents supported the appropriateness of the intervention for their families. CONSUMER AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Consumers were not directly involved in the decisions made about this study. FINDINGS: One core theme, 'collaborative efforts', emerged from the data. Major themes comprising the core theme were 'on the same page', 'therapeutic relationship', and 'getting the job done'. Three sub-themes of 'engagement and motivation', 'the effort was worth it for the reward', and 'Rome wasn't built in a day' were nested within the major themes. CONCLUSION: Parents largely supported the appropriateness of the intervention, indicating it addressed an important goal for their child, participation was a positive experience, and they perceived the intervention to be beneficial. Future adaptions of the intervention are needed to increase its ecological validity and to generalise the strategies to other social environments and playmates, such as peers at school. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: This study looked at an intervention that uses play with peers to help children with ADHD develop their play skills. The researchers wanted to know if parents thought the intervention was a good fit for their families and if it helped their children. Parents gave an interview a month after the intervention ended. They were asked about their thoughts on the intervention, how it helped their children and themselves, how easy it was to take part, and what changes could be made to make the intervention better. After analysing parents' answers, the researchers found parents mostly agreed that the intervention was a good fit. They said it helped their children to play with their peers, and they had a good time doing it. Parents thought the intervention was helpful, they liked that it was a joint effort between them and the occupational therapist, and they felt it was worth the effort. However, they also suggested some changes. They wanted the intervention to fit into other real-life social situations, such as school, so their children could use the skills they learned in other places. Overall, parents thought the intervention was helpful and suitable for their children and themselves, but some changes might make it more helpful.

Indicated Prevention for Children Screened in Routine Health Care: Effectiveness of a Social Skills Program on Social Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms.

Social anxiety is common in childhood and potentially transitions into clinical disorders including depression. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of an indicated prevention program for children screened in routine care. Data came from the PROMPt project, a prospective implementation study (10/2018-09/2022) that explored a novel care chain, starting with screening with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as part of regular health check-ups, followed by indicated assignment and participation in a prevention program. Questionnaires assessing anxiety and depression symptoms were administered shortly after screening or before program participation (T0), six months after screening or after program participation (T1) and at a follow-up, six months after T1 (T2). Children who participated in a group cognitive-behavioral social skills program (TT; n = 145) were compared using mixed model analyses with non-participating children who were either screened as normal (NOR; n = 894) or refused program participation despite indication (NoTT; n = 67). TT scores improved from T0 to T1 compared to NOR and NoTT (anxiety ß = -0.71 and ß = -0.71, social anxiety ß = -0.46 and ß = -0.52, depression ß = -0.52 and ß = -0.73). Improvement was maintained at T2. Moderation analyses showed a trend toward greater benefit for participants with higher baseline scores. Indicated prevention can improve anxiety and depression symptoms in children identified by screening in routine care. Systematic screening and targeted prevention may positively affect mental health of children on a population level.

The Effect of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Characteristics on Aspects of Social Functioning.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to estimate the extent to which neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD's) symptoms (motor, sensory, attention and executive function) are associated with aspects of social function among school aged children. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 39 children aged 6-9 years old (71.8% boys) who were referred to child development centers due to motor, sensory, and/or cognitive difficulties. The parents completed NDD's symptoms questionnaires: Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire; Child Sensory Profile-2; Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) Rating Scale and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. They also completed the Social Skills Improvement System and a social participation measure. RESULTS: Analysis demonstrated low to moderate correlations between social functioning aspects and the majority of NDD's symptoms. Executive functioning was the only predictor of social skills and social participation and accounted for most of the variability of behavioral problems, alongside a small contribution of ADHD symptoms. CONCLUSION: The findings contribute to the accumulating body of knowledge regarding social abilities of children with NDD's and suggest new information as to the effect of executive functions in this domain. Along with conducting a routine evaluation of social skills among children suspected to have NDD's, executive functions should also be comprehensively evaluated.

Research Review: Social cognition and everyday social skills in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysis of case-control studies.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies that have assessed social cognition in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have produced inconsistent findings. To summarize these data and shed light upon moderators that may explain observed inconsistencies, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis exploring social cognition (Theory of Mind (ToM), Empathy, Facial and Non-Facial Emotion Recognition) and Everyday Social Skills in children and adolescents with ADHD. METHODS: The current meta-analysis involved 142 studies including 652 effect sizes. These studies compared children and adolescents with ADHD (n = 8,300) and with typical development (n = 7,983). RESULTS: Participants with ADHD exhibited moderate to very large deficits in ToM (SMD = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.68-0.99), Facial Emotion Recognition (SMD = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.46-0.81), and Everyday Social Skills (SMD = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.08-1.37). The magnitude of these impairments was similar when considering effect sizes adjusted for some covariates and the methodological quality of the studies. Few studies have investigated Empathy and Non-Facial Emotion Recognition, which precludes definitive conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: Children and adolescents with ADHD experience robust impairments in ToM, Facial Emotion Recognition and Everyday Social Skills. Future studies should explore whether these deficits are a consequence of difficulties in other areas of cognition (e.g., executive functioning). We have made all our raw data open access to facilitate the use of the present work by the community (e.g., clinicians looking for tools, assessing social impairments, or researchers designing new studies).

Feasibility and acceptability of a telehealth intervention for improving peer relationships for adolescents with neurofibromatosis type 1: a single-arm pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Elevated rates of social difficulties are evident for children and adolescents with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) but the effects of social skills interventions have not been investigated for this population. The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®), a widely established social skills intervention in autism spectrum disorders with expansion to other conditions, was recently modified to be offered virtually. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of this telehealth intervention. METHODS: 27 adolescents with NF1 with social skills difficulties and at least 1 caregiver enrolled in the study. 19 of those participants (Mage = 14.21 years, SD = 1.63; 7 females; 79% White) completed PEERS® via telehealth in a single-arm pilot study. Dropout rates, attendance records, helpfulness of the curriculum topics and caregiver-reported acceptability, including ratings on the Treatment Acceptability Questionnaire, were examined. RESULTS: Low study drop out (30% of enrolled participants; 14% of participants who began the intervention) and high attendance rates were observed. Caregivers found sessions related to common, everyday interactions most helpful. Adolescents indicated sessions related to having get-togethers and social nuances (e.g., humor) as most helpful. Caregiver ratings indicated acceptability of the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation supported the feasibility and acceptability of telehealth PEERS®, a social skills intervention program, among adolescents with NF1 and their caregivers based on attendance patterns as well as appraisal of the curriculum and telehealth modality.

An interactive online educational environment to reduce anxiety, improve emotional well-being, and critical thinking for college students.

Interactive education can reduce anxiety among students by creating a supportive and supportive learning environment. This approach can also stimulate critical thinking, as it requires active student participation in debates, analysis, and discussions. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of interactive learning on Zoom on the anxiety, emotional well-being, and critical thinking of college students. The experiment involved 80 college students between 18 and 21 years of age. The research was performed by scientists from the [Zhengzhou University of Technology] University. To analyze the impact of the proposed strategy on emotional and cognitive well-being, the study used a set of questionnaires, namely Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale, WAM (Well-being Assessment Measure), and Subjective Questionnaire for assessing critical thinking. The obtained results confirm the effectiveness of the interactive learning methodology, which significantly reduced anxiety and increased the level of critical thinking among students. Anxiety decreased by 14 points, and critical thinking improved by 2.5 points, indicating positive dynamics of psychological and cognitive development. Despite the positive results, some contextual factors such as the level of the learning environment, cultural characteristics, and the personalities of students can influence the generalization of the findings. These findings can have practical application in the pedagogical practice of creating a favorable learning environment. Future research may focus on improving the methodology of interactive learning, studying its impact on other aspects of learning and development. It is also necessary to explore the use of interactive learning in various cultural and educational contexts.

Efficacy of Community-Delivered PEERS® for Adolescents: Increases in Social Skills and Decreases in Social Anxiety and Loneliness.

PURPOSE: PEERS® for Adolescents is an evidence-based social skills training program developed for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is now widely implemented by community providers in clinics and schools. However, majority of past efficacy studies on PEERS® were conducted in controlled research settings, with limited information about its effectiveness when delivered in the community. We sought to examine the effects of PEERS® on social functioning and mental health outcomes when delivered in an outpatient autism specialty clinic. METHODS: Clinical data from 45 adolescents with social challenges (age range: 11-18 years old; 31.1% female assigned at birth) were extracted for secondary analyses. Paired t-tests were performed to examine the pre- to post-intervention changes in social and mental health outcomes. Correlations between pre- and post-change scores of outcome measures were examined. RESULTS: Self-reported social skills knowledge, caregiver-reported social skills (measured by the Social Skills Improvement Systems) and the number of get-togethers hosted, increased significantly from pre- to post-intervention. Additionally, caregiver-reported anxiety and self-reported loneliness significantly decreased from pre- to post-intervention. Exploratory analyses showed that increases in caregiver-reported social skills were associated with decreases in self-reported loneliness. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide evidence supporting the efficacy of PEERS® for improving social knowledge and skills of adolescents with social challenges when delivered in the community. The current study also showed the potential benefit of PEERS® for improving adolescent mental health.

Habilidades sociales en estudiantes, adquiridas mediante indagación científica y gestión por procesos para la salud, con evaluación en línea

Fundamento: el desarrollo de habilidades sociales adquiridas mediante indagación científica en procesos de gestión para la salud por parte de los estudiantes que se desempeñan como docentes de Educación Física, así como su evaluación en línea son aspectos fundamentales, en la formación integral del personal, la mejora de la gestión por procesos y en la imagen corporativa de la institución. Objetivo: evaluar el estado de las actividades físicas para la formación de docentes de la entidad educativa. Métodos: se realizó una investigación no experimental con un diseño transeccional. Se efectuó un diagnóstico basado en la observación y la recogida de datos mediante la encuesta. La muestra estuvo constituida por el grupo de alumnos que se desempeñan como docentes. Se evaluaron dos variables en una de las cuatro dimensiones de la imagen corporativa. Resultados: la institución educativa carece de una imagen corporativa sólida, sin promoción de competencias digitales y habilidades sociales de los docentes. El 76 % de los encuestados calificó las habilidades sociales para el aprendizaje en la dimensión servicios ofrecidos al usuario con un nivel medio, el 14 % bajo y el 10 % alto. El 55 % calificó la gestión por procesos para la salud del usuario en un nivel medio, el 8 % bajo y el 10 % alto. La mayoría no percibió que la institución ofreciera variedad de servicios. Conclusiones: existe la necesidad de desarrollar las habilidades sociales adquiridas como una herramienta poderosa para ayudar a los estudiantes a gestionar sus necesidades y el cuidado de la salud.

Foundation: the development of social skills acquired through scientific inquiry in health management processes by students who work as physical education teachers, as well as their online evaluation are fundamental aspects, both in the comprehensive training of staff, the improvement of process management, and the corporate image of the institution. Objective: evaluate the state of physical activities for the training of teachers of the educational entity. Methods: the research was non-experimental with a transectional design. A diagnosis was made based on observation and data collection through the survey. The sample was the group of students who work as teachers. Two variables were evaluated in one of the four dimensions of corporate image. Results: the educational institution lacks a solid corporate image, without promoting digital competencies and social skills of teachers. 76 % of those surveyed rated the social skills for learning in the services offered to the user dimension with a medium level, 14 % low and 10 % high. 55 % rated process management for user health at a medium level, 8 % low and 10 % high. The majority did not perceive that the institution offered a variety of services. Conclusions: it's necessary to develop acquired social skills as a powerful tool to help students manage their needs and health care.

Should Parents Only Use One Language with Their Autistic Children? The Relations Between Multilingualism, Children's Social Skills, and Parent-Child Communication.

PURPOSE: Parents of autistic children are often advised to use only one language to simplify their child's language acquisition. Often this recommendation orients towards the geographically predominant language, which may cause difficulties especially for minority-language families. On the other hand, scientific evidence suggests that multilingualism does not hinder language acquisition and that communicating in exclusively foreign languages may even impede social interaction. Therefore, we investigated how parent language use is linked to the social skills of 68 autistic children and to their parents' ability to feel comfortable, authentic, and free to express themselves. METHODS: Data was collected online, using parent-report questionnaires from parents of 25 different nationalities in the European context, assessing children's language, autistic traits (AQ-C), social skills (SRS-2), and parent-child communication. RESULTS: Language use was not found to significantly relate to social skills in children. However, parents using their mother tongue, either only their mother tongue or in combination with other languages, reported feeling significantly more comfortable and more authentic than parents using exclusively foreign languages, either one or many. There were no significant differences between monolingual and multilingual families regarding parents' feelings in regard to their language use. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings may encourage specialists to consider multilingualism more often and consult with parents whether monolingualism is worth risking the negative outcomes we have found. Especially, since advising parents to raise their child multilingually may facilitate access to therapeutic treatment, childcare, and social interaction in multilingual societies and families and subsequently improve support and orientation for stakeholders.

The contributions of grandparents to preadolescent grandchildren's social skills in rural Malaysia.

This study aimed to generate localized knowledge by investigating the perceptions and experiences of preadolescent grandchildren and grandparents regarding grandparenting and intergenerational interactions and how these processes were related to the social skills of preadolescents from three ethnic groups in Malaysia. Using a concurrent quantitative-qualitative mixed method research design, Chinese, Malay, and Indian preadolescents (N = 465; ages 9-12 years old; M = 10.27 years; SD = 1.03) from rural areas in Malaysia completed a self-administered quantitative survey; furthermore, 25 grandparents participated in one-on-one interviews. Survey findings showed that preadolescent grandchildren who reported higher grandparental warmth and support had greater social skills, mediated by positive grandparent-grandchildren (GP-GC) relationships. The GP-GC relationship and preadolescent social skills association was stronger for skipped generation compared to three-generation households. Interview findings revealed that grandparents expressed unconditional love and autonomy support in their grandparenting roles by guiding and encouraging their preadolescent grandchildren to make decisions. The GP-GC interactions served as a dynamic force in promoting preadolescents' social skills. By employing a decolonized approach and drawing on the lived experiences of grandparents from three ethnic backgrounds in rural Malaysia, the study provided an understanding of grandparenting practices and their general implications across the three ethnic groups. The interview responses highlighted both commonalities and specificities in grandparenting practices and relationship dynamics shaped by religious, class, and sociocultural dimensions in rural Malaysia.

Effects of Motor Intervention Program on Academic Skills, Motor Skills and Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of motor intervention program (MIP) on autistic index, pre-academic skills, motor skills and social skills of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The research group consisted of a total of 34 participants between the ages of 3-6, 17 in the control group (CG) and 17 in the experimental group (EG). EG participated in the motor intervention program for 60 min a day, 2 days a week for 12 weeks. In the study, the Gilliam Autistic Disorder Rating Scale-2-Turkish Version (GARS-2 TV), Peabody Motor Development Scale-2 (PMDS-2), Pre-Academic Skills Evaluation Form (PASAF) and Social Skills Evaluation System Preschool Teacher Form (SSRS-PTF) were used. The increase in all subtests and total scores of PASAF and posttest scores obtained from PMDS-2 were found to be higher in favor of the experimental group (p < 0.05). The decrease in the stereotype and social interaction scores of GARS-2 TV and the change in the cooperation, self-control and externalization sub-dimensions of SSRS-PTF were found to be statistically significant in favor of the EG group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, it was found that MIP applied to autistic children was effective on the development of motor skills, academic skills and social skills and decreased the level of autistic index. This result shows that MIP is an effective practice that provides a favorable environment for autistic young children to develop multiple skills.

Framework proposal for Role-Playing Games as mental health intervention: the Critical Skills methodology.

Gamified interventions are an emerging approach in mental health treatment and prevention. Their positive effects on managing various clinical conditions stem from enhancing social skills. However, cost-effective options like Table-top Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs), which offer similar benefits to other game-based interventions, lack standardized methods for ensuring replicability. In this regard, the method outlined in this study endeavors, in a structured and guided manner drawing from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), to establish a six-step protocol for developing an intervention method utilizing TTRPGs. In all Steps, we aim to anchor ourselves in robust literature concerning social skills training (SST), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and gamification comprehensively. Thus, the method presented encompasses the objectives of SST, the strategies of CBT, and the dynamics of gamification via TTRPGs. Furthermore, we demonstrate a possible application of the method to illustrate its feasibility. Ultimately, the final method is structured, evidence-based, easily applicable, cost-effective, and thus viable. Mental health professionals seeking a structured and instructional tool for protocol development will find support in the method proposed here.

It takes two: examining the dynamic nature of cooperative behavior in adolescents.

Cooperating with those around us is an important facet of functioning in modern-day society. Forming successful cooperative relationships requires trust, reciprocity, and other interpersonal skills that continue to develop during adolescence. This study examined the dynamic nature of how trust is formed and broken among 248 adolescents (Males = 110, M Age = 15.1 years) throughout an iterative cooperative task (i.e., the Trust Game) and the interindividual differences that alter the success of their relationships. In our study, adolescents from the same classroom were anonymously paired and played a 10-trial version of the Trust Game, which examines trust and reciprocity. We found that trust is formed in the first half of the game and decreases as the threat of defection nears in the last trial. As the game progressed, the relationship between trial number and investments on the subsequent trial was mediated by percent return (ab = -0.09, 95% CI = [-0.15, -0.02]). Importantly, this relationship was moderated by social skills (p = 0.003) and impulsivity (p = 0.001), such that increases in either were associated with decreased percent return and investments on future trials. Overall, we found that cooperation is an adaptive behavior which requires trust and reciprocity, and adolescents need to exhibit both of these behaviors to have fruitful interactions. These findings suggest that interventions to help students think about their partner's perspective and stress the longer-term nature of interactions with peers would foster successful cooperation in social situations.

Social Skills and Reciprocal Behavior with a Virtual Player Among Children With and Without SLD/ADHD.

The study aimed to compare reciprocal behavior during interaction with a virtual-player in a computer game between children with typical development (TD) and children with specific-learning-disabilities (SLD) and/or with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and to examine its correlation with social skills. A total of 120 children (43 SLD/ADHD, 77 TD) aged 9-11 years participated. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires focusing on social skills and reciprocity and played a computer game in which such social situations arose. Results indicated no difference between the groups in self-reported social skills or reciprocity. However, the children's actual reciprocal behavior during gameplay revealed different results: the SLD/ADHD group exhibited higher levels of selfish (helping others for personal gain) and lower levels of altruistic reciprocity (helping others for their benefit) compared to the TD group. Furthermore, a correlation was found between self-reported social skills and reciprocity, as well as with the reciprocal-patterns observed in the gameplay.