Assessment of Social Skills and Problem Behaviors in Young Children with Spina Bifida

Author(s)

Vincent B. Van Hasselt, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Robert T. Ammerman, Western Pennsylvania School for Blind ChildrenFollow
Michel Hersen, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
Donald H. Reigel, Spina Bifida Center, West Penn Hospital
Fern L. Rowley, Spina Bifida Association of Western Pennsylvania

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities

ISSN

1056-263X

Publication Date

3-1-1991

Abstract

The present study assessed social and emotional adjustment in young children with spina bifida. Role-play tests, and parents' and teachers' ratings of social competence and problem behaviors were utilized in this evaluation. Results indicated that children with spina bifida did not differ significantly from controls on verbal and nonverbal components of conversational skill and negative assertion. Also, spina bifida and control children were not differentiated on the basis of mothers' and teachers' reports. Further,while mothers and fathers were in agreement about their child's level of behavioral functioning, little correspondence was evident between ratings of parents and teachers. The present findings are consistent with more recent empirical investigations demonstrating that spina bifida children do not evince major deficits in adjustment as suggested in initial studies that relied on clinical interviews and self-report.

DOI

10.1007/BF01046179

Volume

3

Issue

1

First Page

69

Last Page

80

NSUWorks Citation

Van Hasselt, V. B., Ammerman, R. T., Hersen, M., Reigel, D. H., Rowley, F. L. (1991). Assessment of Social Skills and Problem Behaviors in Young Children with Spina Bifida. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 3(1), 69-80.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facarticles/718