THE IMPACT OF MUSIC- VS. ATHLETICS-BASED SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING ON ADULT- AND SELF-RATINGS OF SOCIAL COMPETENCE AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR OF AT-RISK YOUTH

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a music therapy-based social skills training program compared to an athletics-based social skills training program for children with social skills deficits and interfering behavior problems. Eight fifth and sixth grade boys age 10-11 who had displayed social skills deficits or interfering behaviors in the school setting participated in five 1-hour social skills training (SST) sessions once a week for five weeks. The participants rated themselves on measures of Social Competence and Antisocial Behavior at pretest and posttest using the Multisource Assessment of Social Competence Scale (MASCS). The participants’ homeroom teacher and para-educator rated each participant on measures of Social Competence and Antisocial Behavior using the School Social Behavior Scales, Second Edition (SSBS-2). Results were mixed and varied according to the rater. Teacher ratings of multiple dimensions of Antisocial Behavior indicated the Music Group improved significantly more than the Basketball Group and indicated Defiant/Disruptive increased for the Basketball Group. Conversely, para-educator ratings of Social Competence and Antisocial Behavior indicated the Basketball Group improved while a decrease in functioning was observed for the music group although no significant results were obtained. Self-ratings of Social Competence decreased in both groups from pretest to posttest with the Music Group ratings decreasing more than the Basketball Group. Self-ratings of Antisocial Behavior did not reveal any significant differences between or within groups. Future researchers should continue to work with small groups (three to six participants per group) but should repeat each condition with multiple groups in order to increase the sample size overall. Future studies should also consider increasing the number of sessions per week and extending the overall length of participation in an SST program.