Matching Strategy with Type of Skill Deficit. Gresham
et al. (2001) asserted that a key component of effective
social skills programming is the ability of the interventionist
to match the intervention strategy with the type of skill
deficit. This position was supported by Quinn et al. (1999),
who concluded that the failure of many social skills interventions
results from a mismatch between strategy and skill
deficits. Quinn et al. further stated that interventions should
be designed to address the individual needs of the child,
rather than forcing the child to “fit” into the selected strategy.
Of the 55 studies included in the present meta-analysis, only
one study pointed out the type of skill deficit exhibited by the
participants. School personnel should make an intensive effort
to systematically match the intervention strategy to the
type of skill deficit exhibited by the child. For instance, if the
child lacks the skills necessary to join in an interaction with
peers, an intervention strategy should be selected that promotes
skill acquisition. In contrast, if the child has the skills
to join in an activity but regularly fails to do so, a strategy
should be selected that enhances the performance of the
existing skill. See Bellini (2006) for a comprehensive discussion
of how to discern between a skill acquisition and a performance
deficit and for a list of social skills intervention
strategies that have been divided into strategies that promote
skill acquisition and strategies that enhance the performance
of existing skills.
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