Social Competence

Social competence is a broad and ill-defined construct that has been described from a variety of perspectives, ranging from the development of individual skills to more general adaptation within a particular setting. Construct definitions frequently associate social competence with person-level outcomes such as effective behavioral repertoires, social problem-solving skills, positive beliefs about the self, achievement of social goals, and positive interpersonal relationships. In addition, a defining characteristic of social competence is often the notion that contextual affordances and constraints contribute to and mold the development of these individual outcomes in ways that enable them to contribute to the social good. Social contexts are believed to play an integral role in providing opportunities for healthy social development as well as in defining the appropriate parameters of ...