Neuropsychological correlates of social skills
Date
2018-07-26
Authors
Sherman, Elisabeth Mary Suzanne
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Case studies and a small number of group studies in the neuropsychological
literature on adults and children with brain dysfunction suggest that certain
cognitive skills are important determinants of social skills. However, standardised
measures of social skills designed expressly to measure this construct have not
been used previously in the neuropsychological field. The goal of this study was to
determine neuropsychological correlates of social skills in children referred for
neuropsychological assessment, and compare the findings to the cognitive skills
identified in social information processing models from developmental and clinical
psychology. In younger children (6 to 9 years), only a measure of conceptual
ability was related to social skills. However, from a clinical standpoint, differences
in conceptual skills between socially impaired and socially skilled children were
minimal. In older children (10 to 13 years), sustained attention and verbal
reasoning were strong, unique predictors of social skills. However, only
differences in sustained attention between socially skilled and unskilled children
were clinically significant. Results were discussed with regards to 1) social
information processing models, 2) the effect of age on the cognitive correlates of
social skills; and 3) the relationship between insight and social skills.
Description
Keywords
Learning disabilities, Minimal brain dysfunction