Social Skills Training

Social skills training refers to teaching individuals how to interact harmoniously with others, and especially how to maintain balanced and constructive behavior in difficult interpersonal situations. An individual may deal constructively with negative peer pressure by suggesting a responsible alternative activity, for example, or may calmly and sincerely offer a clarification or apology to an angry accuser. Social skills training programs typically apply to individuals with deficiencies in social interaction, such as children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or autism. This entry focuses on social skills training for juvenile and adult offenders. Particularly noted is the use of virtual reality immersion therapy with dual diagnosis offenders, that is, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have also committed felonies.