The 47 skill-building interventions that included at least one interpersonal skills element (see Box 2 above) showed greater improvements in social competence than those that did not include these elements.

The skill-building interventions in our evidence base covered a wide range of skills, but those that explicitly taught interpersonal skills were most effective for improving social competence. These interventions contrast with other skill-building interventions that focus on emotional or cognitive skills such as accurately assessing others’ motivations (i.e., cognitive restructuring), building empathy, or strategies to reduce anger.

Children and youth may find it easier to learn and use observable interpersonal skills than to change their internal thinking patterns or emotions. That is, youth may need explicit instruction on how to speak to and act with others in everyday interactions before they can begin to learn to regulate their thoughts and emotions. By teaching skills such as how to introduce oneself, or nonverbal ways to indicate you are listening to another person, programs are able to address skills that can be applied in everyday social situations.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

General interpersonal communication skills (e.g., active listening, giving and receiving feedback).
Making friends and engaging in teamwork.
Peer communication, peer relationships, peer group interaction.
Prosocial behavior (voluntarily helping, sharing, cooperating with others).
Assertive communication skills and how to resist peer pressure.
Conflict resolution and collaborative problem-solving skills.
Identifying, understanding, and communicating feelings and emotions.

Assess Feasibility

Current content.
Identify the specific interpersonal skills your program addresses. Does this set of skills cover the majority of challenges you see participants face? Are additional skills needed? Check in with the youth and families you serve to help identify areas of need.
Program dosage.
Assess the amount of time and percent of the program you devote to teaching specific, observable interpersonal skills versus other types of skills or activities.
Program structure.
Assess whether there is room to add interpersonal skills content to your lesson plans. Where would it fit? What would need to change? For example, would you need to add sessions?
Program and participant alignment.
Think about the types of participants your program serves. Are you teaching skills commensurate with their needs; skills more basic than their needs; or skills too advanced for their needs?
Staff development and resources.
Do staff currently have the skills needed to teach interpersonal skills to youth? What resources are needed to provide training and support to staff?

Take Action

Consider the following courses of action depending on the results of your feasibility assessment:

Shorten content not directly related to interpersonal skills in order to maximize the amount of time participants are directly learning how to engage with others in healthy, positive ways.
Add new interpersonal skills to address any identified gaps. Ensure your program is providing skills relevant to the way children and adolescents currently engage with each other
Align specific skills to participants’ varying developmental stages. For example, you may need to teach basic skills like introducing oneself to a new classmate, intermediate skills like conversational skills, or more advanced skills like negotiating and cooperating on a shared project.

Breadcrumb

Provide Opportunities for Youth to Learn and Practice Interpersonal Skills

Outcome

Social Competence

Intervention Family

Skill-Building Interventions