Using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS) Rating Scales to assess social skills in youth with Down syndrome
Introduction and MethodsThis study provides preliminary data on the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS) Rating Scales Parent Form to measure social skills in a sample of 124 children and adolescents with Down syndrome (DS) ages 6–17 years.ResultsOverall, participants demonstrated relatively mild...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1105520/full |
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| author | Marie Moore Channell Laura J. Mattie Emily K. Schworer Emily K. Schworer Deborah J. Fidler Anna J. Esbensen Anna J. Esbensen |
| author_facet | Marie Moore Channell Laura J. Mattie Emily K. Schworer Emily K. Schworer Deborah J. Fidler Anna J. Esbensen Anna J. Esbensen |
| author_sort | Marie Moore Channell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction and MethodsThis study provides preliminary data on the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS) Rating Scales Parent Form to measure social skills in a sample of 124 children and adolescents with Down syndrome (DS) ages 6–17 years.ResultsOverall, participants demonstrated relatively mild symptoms, with the sample’s average standard score falling within 1 standard deviation from the mean of the normative sample for the social skills (M = 92, SD = 15) and problem behaviors (M = 104, SD = 12) domains (normative sample M = 100, SD = 15 for both domains). However, a wide range of scores was observed across the sample for the composite and subscale scores. Differential patterns were also observed by subscale. For some subscales (i.e., Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Engagement, Externalizing, Hyperactivity/Inattention, and Autism Spectrum), a disproportionate number of participants scored in the below average (i.e., lower levels of social skills) or above average (i.e., more symptomatic in problem behaviors or autism spectrum) range relative to the normative sample; for other subscales (i.e., Communication, Empathy, Self-Control, Bullying, and Internalizing), participants’ score distribution aligned more closely to that of the normative sample. SSiS composite scores correlated in the expected directions with standardized measures of autism characteristics, executive function, and expressive language.DiscussionThis study provides some of the first evidence validating the use of the SSiS in youth with DS, filling a gap in standardized measures of social functioning in this population. |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:42:42Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-fc3e0fbb1752478583d0e52f63b729622023-04-04T05:29:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-04-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11055201105520Using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS) Rating Scales to assess social skills in youth with Down syndromeMarie Moore Channell0Laura J. Mattie1Emily K. Schworer2Emily K. Schworer3Deborah J. Fidler4Anna J. Esbensen5Anna J. Esbensen6Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United StatesDepartment of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United StatesDivision of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United StatesWaisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United StatesDepartment of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United StatesDivision of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United StatesUniveristy of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United StatesIntroduction and MethodsThis study provides preliminary data on the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS) Rating Scales Parent Form to measure social skills in a sample of 124 children and adolescents with Down syndrome (DS) ages 6–17 years.ResultsOverall, participants demonstrated relatively mild symptoms, with the sample’s average standard score falling within 1 standard deviation from the mean of the normative sample for the social skills (M = 92, SD = 15) and problem behaviors (M = 104, SD = 12) domains (normative sample M = 100, SD = 15 for both domains). However, a wide range of scores was observed across the sample for the composite and subscale scores. Differential patterns were also observed by subscale. For some subscales (i.e., Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Engagement, Externalizing, Hyperactivity/Inattention, and Autism Spectrum), a disproportionate number of participants scored in the below average (i.e., lower levels of social skills) or above average (i.e., more symptomatic in problem behaviors or autism spectrum) range relative to the normative sample; for other subscales (i.e., Communication, Empathy, Self-Control, Bullying, and Internalizing), participants’ score distribution aligned more closely to that of the normative sample. SSiS composite scores correlated in the expected directions with standardized measures of autism characteristics, executive function, and expressive language.DiscussionThis study provides some of the first evidence validating the use of the SSiS in youth with DS, filling a gap in standardized measures of social functioning in this population.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1105520/fullsocial skillsdown syndromechallenging behaviorproblem behaviorssocial interactionintellectual disability |
| spellingShingle | Marie Moore Channell Laura J. Mattie Emily K. Schworer Emily K. Schworer Deborah J. Fidler Anna J. Esbensen Anna J. Esbensen Using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS) Rating Scales to assess social skills in youth with Down syndrome Frontiers in Psychology social skills down syndrome challenging behavior problem behaviors social interaction intellectual disability |
| title | Using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS) Rating Scales to assess social skills in youth with Down syndrome |
| title_full | Using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS) Rating Scales to assess social skills in youth with Down syndrome |
| title_fullStr | Using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS) Rating Scales to assess social skills in youth with Down syndrome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS) Rating Scales to assess social skills in youth with Down syndrome |
| title_short | Using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSiS) Rating Scales to assess social skills in youth with Down syndrome |
| title_sort | using the social skills improvement system ssis rating scales to assess social skills in youth with down syndrome |
| topic | social skills down syndrome challenging behavior problem behaviors social interaction intellectual disability |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1105520/full |
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