NCJ Number
141816
Journal
Adolescence Volume: 27 Issue: 108 Dated: (Winter 1992) Pages: 891-900
Date Published
1992
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Social skills training has become a popular treatment method for juvenile offenders. This literature review examines the rationale for the implementation of a social skills training program.
Abstract
Six questions pertaining to research in the field are considered. The first is whether young offenders are deficient in the area of problem solving and what effect social skills training may have on their problem-solving abilities. The second issue is what role social skills play in peer popularity. Two other questions concern the effect a social skills training program may have on the impulse control and/or aggressiveness of juvenile offenders. Some research has focused on the association between young offenders' social competence and their incarceration rate. Finally, there are studies which have examined the effect that social skills training has on the recidivism rate of delinquents in incarcerated inpatient and outpatient community-based settings. The author recommends that future research focus on young offenders in outpatient settings, the causal relationship between social skills and juvenile delinquency, and the association between a juvenile's social skills and the treatment he receives from the criminal justice system. 55 references