Mother-Infant Interaction and Maternal Postnatal Psychological Distress Associate with Child's Social-Emotional Development During Early Childhood: A FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study.

We studied the effects of mother-infant interaction and maternal pre- and postnatal psychological distress on children's social-emotional problems and competences, as well as whether interaction quality moderates the association between distress and children's outcomes. Maternal pre- and postnatal psychological distress were measured using the SCL and EPDS questionnaires, whereas mother-infant interaction was measured when the child was 8 months old using the EA Scales. Children's social-emotional development was measured using the BITSEA questionnaire at 2 years old and using the SDQ questionnaire at 4 years old, where higher maternal structuring was associated with fewer social-emotional problems in children and higher maternal sensitivity was associated with greater social-emotional competence in children at 2 years old. Further, higher postnatal distress was found associated with greater social-emotional problems at 2 years old, though neither these effects nor moderating effects at 4 years old were observed after multiple-comparison corrections. Our findings support direct associations of both mother-infant interaction and maternal postnatal psychological distress with children's social-emotional development during toddlerhood.

The relationship between bullying victimization and problematic behaviors: A focus on the intrapersonal emotional competence and interpersonal social competence.

BACKGROUND: Evidence consistently demonstrated that bullying victimization was associated with problematic behaviors among adolescents. However, scant attention has been given to simultaneous comparisons of the impacts of two distinct forms of victimization, traditional bullying victimization and cyberbullying victimization. In addition, the mechanisms underlying the relationship between bullying victimization and problem behavior remain inadequately explored. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the correlation between bullying victimization and problematic behaviors, as well as the mediating roles of intrapersonal emotional competence and interpersonal social competence. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A sample of 26,450 adolescents with a mean age of 15.44 (SD = 0.56) across nine countries was derived from the Study on Social and Emotional Skills (SSES). METHODS: Data analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling, comprising three key components: the measurement model, the structural model, and the bootstrapping analysis for mediating effects. RESULTS: Both traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization exhibited positive correlations with problematic behaviors, with cyberbullying victimization demonstrating a stronger effect. The mediating effects of intrapersonal emotional competence and interpersonal social competence were observed in the correlation between bullying victimization and problematic behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: This study not only contributed to our comprehension of the underlying mechanisms connecting bullying victimization and adolescent problematic behaviors, but also holds significance for policy development and practice.

Affective and Social Competencies of Elementary School Students in the Use of Digital Textbooks: A Longitudinal Study.

This study investigates the impact of digital textbooks, which play an important role in post-COVID-19 digitalized education, on the development of elementary school students' affective and social competencies. The study quantitatively analyzed three years of student panel data collected from 1,418 students in the third and fourth grades of a digital textbook pilot elementary school in South Korea. This study examined differences in the development of affective and social competencies between the treatment group (n = 708), who used digital textbooks for three years, and the control group (n = 710), who used digital textbooks for two years and returned to paper textbooks. Results showed that the affective competencies of self-efficacy, learning motivation, and learning attitudes were higher in the treatment group than in the control group, and the social competencies of communication, collaboration, and sociability were also higher. Implications for digital education research and related policies are provided, and limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Social competence in autism: A structural equation modeling approach.

Autistic individuals present with difficulties in social competence (e.g., navigating social interactions and fostering relationships). Clinical interventions widely target social cognition and social behavior, but there is inconsistent understanding of the underlying components of social competence. The present study used structural equation modeling to examine social cognition and social behavior and explore the relationship between these latent constructs. Autistic youth (ages 10-17; n = 219) and their caregivers participated in this study. Constructs of social cognition and social behavior were captured using caregiver-report and self-report rating scales, as well as observational measures and direct clinical assessments (e.g., NEPSY-II). Measurement models of social cognition and social behavior demonstrated adequate to good fit. Correlational models demonstrated adequate to poor fit, indicating latent constructs of social cognition and social behavior are not closely related in autistic youth. Exploratory examination of a subsample of male youth (n = 157) evidenced improved model fit of social behavior, specifically. Findings tease apart social cognition and social behavior as cohesive and separable constructs; results do not support a structural relationship between social cognition and social behavior. Noted treatment implications include consideration of how targeting social cognition and social behavior together or separately may support autistic youth's progress toward reaching their identified therapeutic goals and supporting their self-directed social development.

High Autistic Traits or Low Social Competence? Correlates of Social Camouflaging in Non-Autistic Adults.

Background: Autistic traits have been linked with the use of social camouflaging behavior by non-autistic people. In addition, low social competence (i.e., poor social skills) has also been posited as a possible explanation for the use of social camouflaging by non-autistic people. In this study, we investigated the comparative influence of autistic traits and social competence on three components of social camouflaging (compensation, masking, and assimilation) in a sample of non-autistic adults. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, we recruited 284 undergraduate students (28.5% male; 69.7% female; 1.8% not specified) who reported that they had never been diagnosed with autism. Participants completed standardized measures assessing social camouflaging, autistic traits, social competence, and psychological distress via an online questionnaire. Results: We found that women reported greater use of social camouflaging, and greater social camouflaging use was associated with worse psychological distress. We also found that both social competence and autistic traits were associated with the use of social camouflaging, with higher autistic traits influencing camouflaging use to a greater degree than low social competence. Compared with the use of compensation- and assimilation-based social camouflaging, masking was the least well explained by the current predictors. Conclusions: We conclude that social competence and autistic traits are important factors influencing the use of social camouflaging by non-autistic adults. However, there are other (unknown) factors that contribute to the use of each aspect of camouflaging by non-autistic individuals, and a deeper understanding of the individual motivations for social camouflaging use is still needed. In turn, this may allow for the development of psychosocial interventions to offset the need for social camouflaging and mitigate the negative psychological consequences often associated with its use.

Why is this an important issue?: Autistic traits have been linked with the use of social camouflaging behavior by non-autistic people. Poor social skills have also been suggested as a possible explanation for social camouflaging use by non-autistic people. By exploring social camouflaging with non-autistic people, we may be able to offer different, and possibly complimentary, understandings about the developing construct of social camouflaging and its link with psychological well-being. What was the purpose of this study?: We explored the links between aspects of autism and social skills, and the use of different social camouflaging behaviors, among non-autistic people with varying levels of autistic traits and social skills. What did the researchers do?: We conducted an online survey with 284 undergraduate students who stated that they had never been diagnosed with autism. Our participants provided personal information (e.g., age, gender) and answered questionnaires that investigated different types of autistic traits (rigid personality, pragmatic language deficits, and aloof personality) and aspects of social competence (initiating relationships, asserting displeasure, self-disclosure, providing emotional and managing interpersonal conflict) in relation to three different types of social camouflaging behavior (compensation, masking, and assimilation) and their psychological well-being. What were the results of the study?: We found that both low self-assessed social skills and high autistic traits were associated with the use of social camouflaging behaviors by non-autistic adults. Women reported more social camouflaging than men. We also found that higher autistic traits influenced social camouflaging use more than low social skills, although the strength of influence varied with the type of social camouflaging behavior. All types of social camouflaging were related to worse psychological well-being. What do these findings add to what is already known?: This study is among the first to investigate social camouflaging, autistic traits, and social skills in a nuanced way with non-autistic people. Our findings offer new explanations for how specific camouflaging behaviors may be influenced by different aspects of social behavior in non-autistic people. What are potential weaknesses in this study?: Our participants were university students, so most participants were young, female, and Caucasian. Therefore, research within diverse samples of non-autistic people is still needed. Also, we only looked at a broad measure of psychological distress, so more in-depth investigation of social camouflaging and specific psychological experiences, such as social anxiety, is still needed. How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?: Social camouflaging seems to be costly in terms of the effort required to camouflage and its flow-on effects for psychological well-being. Understanding what factors might contribute to camouflaging for both autistic and non-autistic adults might lead to better ideas about less effortful ways to manage difficult social situations or techniques to reduce possible costs of camouflaging.

The effects of pre-eclampsia on social and emotional developmental vulnerability in children at age five in Western Australia: A population data linkage study.

BACKGROUND: It is important to explore factors that may hinder early childhood development in AEDC Emotional Maturity and Social Competence domains as these underpin the foundation for health, well-being, and productivity over the life course. No previous study has examined whether, or to what extent, preeclampsia increases the risk of developmental vulnerability in social and emotional domains in early childhood. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study on the association between preeclampsia and childhood developmental vulnerability in emotional maturity and social competence domains in children born in Western Australia in 2009, 2012 and 2015. We obtained records of births, developmental anomalies, midwives notifications and hospitalisations. These data were linked to the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC), from which developmental vulnerability in emotional maturity and social competence domains at a median age of 5 years was ascertained. Causal relative risks (RR) were estimated with doubly robust estimation. RESULTS: A total of 64,391 mother-offspring pairs were included in the final analysis. For the whole cohort, approximately 25 % and 23 % of children were classified as developmentally vulnerable or at-risk on AEDC emotional maturity and social competence domains, respectively. Approximately 2.8 % of children were exposed in utero to preeclampsia. Children exposed to preeclampsia were more likely to be classified as developmentally vulnerable or at-risk on the emotional maturity (RR = 1.19, 95%CI:1.11-1.28) and social competence domains (RR = 1.22, 95 % CI:1.13-1.31). CONCLUSION: Children exposed to pre-eclampsia in utero were more likely to be developmentally vulnerable in emotional maturity and social competence domains in this cohort. Our findings provide new insights into the harmful effect of preeclampsia on childhood developmental vulnerability.

Scrutinizing parental minimization reactions to adolescents' negative emotions through the lens of Chinese culture.

This research examined in China two types of parental minimization reactions to adolescents' negative emotions: Devaluing/invalidating that degrades the significance of adolescents' emotions (thereby invalidating adolescents' feelings) versus discounting/mitigating that downplays the seriousness of the situations (thereby mitigating adolescents' emotional arousals). Study 1 had 777 adolescents (389 females; mean age = 12.79 years) complete a survey; Study 2 had 233 adolescents (111 females; mean age = 12.19 years) complete a survey twice spanning around 6 months. Study 1 showed adolescents' perceived maternal devaluing/invalidating and discounting/mitigating reactions as two distinct factors, with different patterns of associations with other supportive versus nonsupportive parenting practices. Study 2 showed that over time, adolescents' perceived maternal devaluing/invalidating reactions predicted their dampened socioemotional functioning; discounting/mitigating reactions predicted their enhanced functioning.

A Short-Term Longitudinal Examination of the Relation of Forms of Antipathy Relationships to Children's Loneliness, Peer Optimism, and Peer Sociability Behaviors.

Researchers have focused on children's friendship relationships more than antipathy (disliking) relationships. The present one-year longitudinal research examined the relation of different forms of antipathy nominations (Mutual, Unilateral Given, Unilateral Received) to children's social competence (self-reports of loneliness and peer optimism, classroom peer nominations for sociability behaviors) for 121 third and fourth graders (fourth and fifth graders in Year 2). From path analyses, the pattern between forms of antipathy relationships to the measures of social competence was identical for concurrent findings at Time 1 and between forms of antipathy relationships and the measures of social competence one year later. Higher numbers of Mutual Antipathies and higher numbers of Unilateral Received Antipathies were related to greater loneliness and fewer peer nominations for sociability behaviors. In addition, higher numbers of Unilateral Received Antipathies were related to less peer optimism. Interestingly, numbers of Unilateral Given Antipathies were not significantly related to any of the social competence measures at Time 1 or one year later. These findings suggest that dislike relationships, whether mutual or unilateral received, may have important negative associations for children's concurrent and later social competence.

The role of social cognition in mental health trajectories from childhood to adolescence.

We investigated the association between an aspect of Theory of Mind in childhood, false-belief understanding, and trajectories of internalising (emotional and peer) and externalising (conduct and hyperactivity) problems in childhood and adolescence. The sample was 8408 children from the UK's Millennium Cohort Study, followed at ages 5, 7, 11, 14, and 17 years. Social cognitive abilities were measured at 5 and 7 years through a vignette version of the Sally-Anne task administered by an unfamiliar assessor in a socially demanding dyadic interaction. Internalising and externalising problems were measured via the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at 7-17 years. Using latent growth modelling, and after controlling for sex, ethnicity, maternal education, verbal ability, and time-varying family income, we found that superior social cognitive abilities predicted a decrease in emotional problems over time. In sex-stratified analyses, they predicted decreasing conduct problem trajectories in females and lower levels of conduct problems at baseline in males.

Percepción de una maestra-tutora sobre la Competencia Motriz y Social en escolares de Infantil. Efecto de un programa de refuerzo motriz / Perception of a teacher-tutor on Motor and Social Competence in Children’s School. Intervention of a motor reinforcement program

El presente trabajo describe la percepción de una maestra-tutora sobre la Competencia Motriz y Relaciones Sociales en escolares de Educación Infantil. Este estudio tuvo un triple objetivo, por un lado, conocer si la maestra-tutora, participante, era capaz de identificar a los escolares con dificultades motrices y sociales. Por otro lado, analizar el impacto de un Programa de Refuerzo Motriz en la Competencia Motriz y en las Relaciones Sociales en estos escolares. Por último, conocer si la maestra-tutora percibe el efecto del programa. En el estudio participó la maestra-tutora y 6 escolares con dificultades motrices, con una edad media de 5.60 años (DT ± 0.53). Se diseñó un estudio pre-experimental mixto que combinó un enfoque cuantitativo para las medidas Pre-Test y Post-Test y un enfoque cualitativo para observar el comportamiento de los participantes. Se evaluó la Competencia Motriz de manera objetiva, mediante la Batería de evaluación (Mabc-2) y se realizó un Sociograma para conocer las Relaciones Sociales. Por otro lado, se pasó un cuestionario a la profesora tutora. Los resultados mostraron que la maestra-tutora, en líneas generales, detecta entre el alumnado a aquellos escolares que presentan dificultades motrices o/y sociales de manera muy evidente. Asimismo, los resultados muestran una mejora en los escolares en ambas variables. En conclusión, los docentes de Educación Infantil como uno de los principales agentes de socialización pueden llegar a ser un elemento fundamental para ayudar a que estos superen las dificultades motrices y sociales (AU)

This paper describes a teacher-tutor's perception of Motor Competence and Social Relationships in pre-school children. The aim of this study was threefold: on the one hand, to find out whether the participating teacher-tutor was able to identify schoolchildren with motor and social difficulties. On the other hand, to analyse the impact of a Motor Reinforcement Programme on Motor Competence and Social Relationships in these schoolchildren. Finally, to find out if the teacher-mentor perceives the effect of the programme. The study involved the teacher-tutor and 6 schoolchildren with motor difficulties, with a mean age of 5.60 years (SD ± 0.53). A mixed pre-experimental study was designed combining a quantitative approach for the Pre-Test and Post-Test measures and a qualitative approach to observe the behaviour of the participants. Motor competence was assessed objectively using the Motor Competence Assessment Battery (Mabc-2) (Henderson et al., 2007) and a Sociogram was conducted to assess Social Relationships. On the other hand, a questionnaire was given to the tutor-teacher. The results showed that the tutor-teacher, in general terms, detects among the students those who present motor and/or social difficulties in a very evident way. Likewise, the results show an improvement in the pupils in both variables.In conclusion, early childhood teachers, as one of the main agents of socialisation, can become a fundamental element in helping children to overcome motor and social difficulties (AU)

The role of serotonin in modulating social competence in a cooperatively breeding fish.

Behavioural interactions between conspecifics rely on the appreciation of social cues, which is achieved through biochemical switching of pre-existing neurophysiological pathways. Serotonin is one of the major neurotransmitters in the central nervous system responsible for the modulation of physiological and behavioural traits, in particular social behaviour. The relative importance of serotonin in modulating optimal social responses to the available social information (i.e., social competence) is yet unknown. Here we investigate how serotonin and the serotonin 1 A receptor (5-HT1A) modulate social competence in a competitive context. In the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher, we pharmacologically manipulated the serotonin availability and 5-HT1A activity to test their effects on social behaviours during an asymmetric contest between the owner of a defended territory containing a shelter and an intruder devoid of a territory. In this contest, the adequate response by the intruders, the focal individuals in our study, is to show submissive behaviour in order to avoid eviction from the vicinity of the shelter. While the serotonin enhancer Fluoxetine did not affect the frequency of submission towards territory owners, reducing serotonin by a low dosage of 4-Chloro-DL-phenylalanine (PCPA) increased submissive behaviour. Furthermore, threat displays towards territory owners were reduced at high dosages of Fluoxetine and also at the lowest dosage of PCPA. 5-HT1A activation increased threat displays by intruders, indicating that this receptor may not be involved in regulating social competence. We conclude that serotonin, but not its receptor 5-HT1A plays an important role in the regulation of social competence.

The ability to inhibit impulses is related to social behavior in long-tailed macaques.

Performance in cognitive tasks has been linked to differences in species' social organization, yet to understand its function its relationship to within-species variation in behavior should also be explored. One important cognitive capacity, the ability to inhibit impulses, is typically better in egalitarian than despotic primate species and in primate species with strong fission-fusion dynamics. A different line of research indicates that a high ability to inhibit impulses is related to less aggressive behavior and more socio-positive behavior. However, within species the relationship between performance on cognitive inhibition tasks and variation in social behavior remains to be explored. Here we investigate how performance in a typical inhibition task in cognitive research is related to aggressive and socio-positive behavior in despotic long-tailed macaques. Twenty individuals living in two naturalistic mixed-sex groups were tested with the Plexiglass Hole Task. Aggressive behavior and three types of socio-positive behavior (neutral/friendly approaches, socio-positive signaling, and grooming others) among group members were measured. Individuals differed in their ability to inhibit impulses. Individuals that were not good at inhibiting impulses showed higher rates of aggressive behavior, but also more socio-positive signals, whereas inhibition was not related to neutral/friendly approaches and grooming. These results confirm the positive link between impulsiveness and aggression. In addition, the results indicate that some social-positive behavior may be enhanced when inhibition is limited. In this species, benefits potentially derived from aggression and socio-positive signals match a low ability to inhibit impulses, suggesting that a low ability to inhibit impulses may actually be advantageous. To understand differences between species in cognitive skills, understanding the benefits of variation in a cognitive capacity within a species is crucial.

Does body mass index distinguish motor proficiency, social and emotional maturity among adolescent girls?

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate whether different body mass index (BMI) groups could serve as a distinguishing factor for assessing motor proficiency and social and emotional maturity in adolescent girls. METHODS: 140 girls ranging from 12 to 14.5 years old were selected from the schools of Tabriz city, Iran. After their height and weight were measured to calculate body mass index, they completed the following questionnaires: Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of motor proficiency, Second Edition,Vineland Social Maturity Scale, and Emotional Maturity scale. RESULTS: normal-weight girls had a meaningful advantage against overweight and underweight participants in the gross motor factor of motor proficiency (p = 0.004), but there wasn't a meaningful difference in the fine motor p = 0.196) and coordination factors (p = 0.417). Also, social maturity showed an advantage of normal and underweight adolescent girls in the self-help dressing factor (p = 0.018), while the locomotion skills (p = 0.010) factor revealed a better performance of normal weight and overweight groups over underweight adolescents. No significant differences were observed in the emotional maturity subscales (p = 0.63) between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that BMI has a direct influence on adolescents' gross motor proficiency and social maturity.

The effect of big data technologies usage on social competence.

The learning management system is a digital environment that enables the tracking of learner activities, allowing special forms of data from the academic context to be explored and used to enhance the learning process. This study aims to identify the effect of using big data technology in digital environments on the development of electronic social competence among optimal investment diploma students. An experimental method was used to explore the effect of big data technologies usage on social competence. The sample for this study consisted of (120) students in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching Methods, divided into two equal groups through random selection. The first group studied the course through a digital environment with the use of big data technology, while the second group studied the course through the digital environment without using big data technology. The electronic social competence scale was further utilized as a tool to meet the study's goal. The experimental findings showed that big data technologies in the used digital environment significantly improved the electronic social competence of Optimal Investment Diploma students (personal skills, self-management skills, and academic skills). The results provide significant proof of the advantages of big data technology in social competence studies and development.

Investigating Social Competence in a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial of a Theatre-Based Intervention Enhanced for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by challenges in social competence that persist in adulthood, yet few treatment options exist. A pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) of a peer-mediated, theatre-based intervention with established efficacy in youth with ASD was examined in autistic adults. The final sample consisted of forty-seven 18-to-40-year-old participants randomized to the experimental (EXP N = 23) or waitlist control (WLC N = 24) condition. A multimodal, social interdependent model was employed to examine social competence changes in brain (incidental face memory (IFM) using event-related potentials), cognition (Wechsler Memory Scale-III), behavior (Contextual Assessment of Social Skills) and function (Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS); Adaptive Behavior Assessment Scale (ABAS) Social Composite). Using analysis of covariance in which pretest was controlled in the model, posttest between-group differences were observed on IFM (p = 0.016, η2 = 0.139, d = 0.79) and several social and adaptive functional (SRS, ABAS) outcomes in social communication and interaction (SCI) (p = 0.019, η2 = 0.121, d = -00.45), communication (p = 0.044 η2 = 0.09, d = -00.31), and motivation (p = 0.001, η2 = 0.229, d = -0.79) domains. At two-month follow-up, gains in social motivation remained (p = 0.041, η2 = 0.100, d = -0.77). The results offer preliminary support for a unique theatre-based social skills intervention for autistic adults who have few treatment options to enhance social competence. The trial was pre-registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04349644).

Negative first impression judgements of autistic children by non-autistic adults.

Introduction: Although autism inclusion and acceptance has increased in recent years, autistic people continue to face stigmatization, exclusion, and victimization. Based on brief 10-second videos, non-autistic adults rate autistic adults less favourably than they rate non-autistic adults in terms of traits and behavioural intentions. In the current study, we extended this paradigm to investigate the first impressions of autistic and non-autistic children by non-autistic adult raters and examined the relationship between the rater's own characteristics and bias against autistic children. Method: Segments of video recorded interviews from 15 autistic and 15 non-autistic children were shown to 346 undergraduate students in audio with video, audio only, video only, transcript, or still image conditions. Participants rated each child on a series of traits and behavioural intentions toward the child, and then completed a series of questionnaires measuring their own social competence, autistic traits, quantity and quality of past experiences with autistic people, and explicit autism stigma. Results: Overall, autistic children were rated more negatively than non-autistic children, particularly in conditions containing audio. Raters with higher social competence and explicit autism stigma rated autistic children more negatively, whereas raters with more autistic traits and more positive past experiences with autistic people rated autistic children more positively. Discussion: These rapid negative judgments may contribute to the social exclusion experienced by autistic children. The findings indicate that certain personal characteristics may be related to more stigmatised views of autism and decreased willingness to interact with the autistic person. The implications of the findings are discussed in relation to the social inclusion and well-being of autistic people.

The Effect of Maternal Trait Mindfulness on Preschoolers' Social Competence: The Chain-Mediating Role of Maternal Self-Control and Problematic Social Media Use.

The impact of maternal trait mindfulness on the development of preschoolers' social competence is receiving increasing attention from researchers. However, the mediating mechanisms that link maternal mindfulness to preschoolers' social competence are still not well understood. This study examined the mediating effect of maternal self-control and problematic social media use on the association between maternal trait mindfulness and preschoolers' social competence. We administered 407 mothers of preschoolers in China a questionnaire to assess their trait mindfulness, self-control, problematic social media use, and the degree of social competence of their children. After controlling for demographic variables, the results showed that (1) Maternal trait mindfulness was positively related to preschoolers' social competence; (2) Maternal self-control and problematic social media use independently mediated the relationship between maternal trait mindfulness and preschoolers' social competence; and (3) Maternal self-control and problematic social media use play a chain-mediating role between maternal trait mindfulness and preschoolers' social competence. These findings have enhanced our understanding of how maternal trait mindfulness influences preschoolers' social competence and holds important implications for interventions aimed at enhancing preschoolers' social competence.

Examining the Effects of Theory of Mind and Social Skills Training on Social Competence in Adolescents with Autism.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have impairment in interpreting emotional communication and the mental states of others, which limits their social competence. Mounting evidence has suggested that theory of mind (ToM) is a vital strategy to enhance social communication and interaction skills of children with ASD. However, very little research has looked at how ToM and social skills training affect social competence in adolescents with autism. This study examined the effectiveness of an intervention program, ToM-SS, which integrated the ToM and social skills training to improve the social competence of three adolescents with autism. A multiple baseline across behaviors design was adopted to evaluate the participants' learning outcomes and demonstrated a functional relationship between intervention and skill mastery. Results show that the intervention produced substantial improvements in students' acquisition of ToM (e.g., seeing leads to knowing and identifying desire-based and context-based emotions) and targeted social skills (e.g., praising others, expressing emotion and seeking help). Feedback and comments from teachers and parents also indicate good social validity of the intervention program.

Longitudinal Associations from Maternal and Paternal Internalizing Symptoms to Preschooler's Problem Behavior and Social Competence in China: The Mediating Role of Executive Function.

By using a two-year longitudinal design, the current study recruited 199 preschoolers and their parents in Beijing to examine the effects of parental internalizing symptoms (T1) on children's internalizing and externalizing problem behavior and social competence (T3), and further explore whether executive function (EF, T2) may act as the mediator. The results showed that maternal internalizing symptoms and paternal internalizing symptoms at T1 separately had significant direct predictive effect on children's internalizing and externalizing problem behavior but not on social competence at T3 after controlling family socioeconomic status. Further analysis indicated that children's inhibitory self-control at T2 mediated the association between maternal and paternal internalizing symptoms at T1 and children's externalizing problem behavior at T3, and metacognition at T2 could mediate the influence of maternal internalizing symptoms at T1 on children's internalizing problem behavior, externalizing problem behavior and social competence at T3. These findings to some extent highlight the importance of including both parents and exploring mother-father differences in effective interventions aiming to promoting child development. Metacognition and self-control skill training would be helpful to reduce children's problem behavior or to improve their social competence.

Correlations Between the Development of Social Anxiety and Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.

It is well established that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have significantly higher rates of social anxiety, given that most autistic individuals experience socio-communication impairments, a deficit in social competence, and their experience in social engagement situations often leads to discomfort in social settings. Literature also finds that individuals on the spectrum are often at a higher risk of developing social anxiety, which is often misinterpreted as social anxiety disorder (SAD) leading to delays in the clinical diagnosis of ASD. Hence, an improved understanding of specific factors that put ASD individuals at risk of developing social anxiety will aid research to differentiate between social anxiety among individuals with ASD compared to non-ASD individuals facing social anxiety in general. This systematic review study focuses on empirical literature that provides evidence for reasons contributing to social anxiety among individuals with ASD. Following the systematic review methodology, the study evaluates 10 research papers. The results revealed several correlations that can be useful in helping explain why individuals with ASD are at a higher risk of developing SAD. Individuals with ASD often suffer severe social anxiety because they struggle to understand social cues, maintain eye contact, interpret non-verbal cues like facial expressions or body language, or participate in reciprocal conversation. Other cognitive factors include a preference toward predictable situations, intolerance for uncertainty, and a tendency toward rigid thinking patterns. Unpredictability in social settings often heightens anxiety levels in ASD individuals, making them avoid such situations. Other risk factors include emotional recognition impairments and reduced social competence. These findings serve as a guide to developing better intervention strategies to help individuals with ASD to overcome social anxiety.