In the Rearview Mirror: Social Skill Development in Deaf Youth From 1990 to 2015

• In Event: 72.042 - Research on the Education of Deaf Persons SIG Paper Session

Abstract

Social skills are a vehicle by which we negotiate important relationships. Deaf individuals often have different identity, linguistic, educational, cultural, and interpersonal experiences than hearing peers; intersections of these characteristics can result in different manifestations of social skills, particularly within an educational context. The purpose of this paper is to present historical data on how social skills in deaf students has been conceptualized and studied empirically over the past 25 years. Using a structured literature review approach, we present a summary of theoretical frameworks used and specific constructs studied. While there were relatively few theoretical frames utilized across the set of research studies, specific constructs within social skill development varied widely and changed over the studied time period.

Authors

• Stephanie W. Cawthon, The University of Texas - Austin

• Bentley Fink, The University of Texas - Austin

• Sarah Schoffstall, The University of Texas - Austin

• Erica Wendel, The University of Texas - Austin