A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Behavioral Skill Training on Socialization Skills among Children with Intellectual Disability in Selected Schools for Mentally Challenged
Renuga Venkadachallam, K. TamizharasiAbstract
Background:
Behavioral skills training (BST) is a structured behavioral intervention that has been identified as a method to teach adaptive skills, but data on the effectiveness of BST for increasing socialization skills for school-aged children with intellectual disability (ID) is limited.
Objective:
To assess the effectiveness of BST on socialization skills among children with ID studying in selected schools for mentally challenged children.
Materials and Methods:
A quantitative study using a true experimental pretest–posttest control group design was conducted among 14 children aged 6–12 years with mild or moderate ID. Participants were randomly allocated to an experimental group (
Results:
The mean scores of socialization of the experimental group were 62.14 ± 7.08 at pretest, 109.50 ± 16.57 at the first posttest, and 147.14 ± 15.23 at the second posttest, which was significantly improved. The results of the second posttest showed that 71.43% of children in the experimental group reached an adequate level of socialization, as opposed to none at the baseline. Conversely, the mean scores of the control group did not significantly change, and the socialization levels did not significantly change during the study.
Conclusion:
BST was an effective method to increase socialization skills in children with ID with maintained improvements in communication, interpersonal interaction, and adaptive social behaviors.