Social Skills Stories: Teaching Positive Social Skills Using Cognitive Behavioral Interventions

Social Skills Stories incorporates cognitive-behavioral interventions as well as behavioral approaches to teach essential social skills. Cognitive behavioral interventions are powerful procedures that can have positive results when used to teach students self-management of their social and personal behaviors. This resource provides a curriculum to teach fifteen essential social skills. In the area of personal development, these skills include control anger, problem solve, resist peer pressure and respond to teasing, reach a goal, get help, and stay on task. The skills in the area of social development include give and accept compliments, participate in a group, negotiate, follow instructions, listen, accept criticism, greet others, and interrupt others.

These fifteen social skills are taught through games, role play, selected children's literature, and direct instruction. The growing evidence base in the clinical setting supporting the use of cognitive behavioral interventions shows promise for the use of these interventions in school and home settings. Social Skills Stories builds on this promise by using cognitive behavioral interventions in the development of positive social skills for children in need.