Abstract
Studying social skills helps understanding interpersonal relations, but studies relating both issues in high-ability/gifted (HA/G) children are still scarce. Thus, this study aimed to describe (a) the social skills of HA/G children from the viewpoints of the children themselves, their parents/guardians, and teachers; (b) the social skills and behavioral problems of HA/G children from the viewpoints of their parents/guardians and teachers, considering gender and the importance attributed by each group to social skills; and (c) children academic competence according to their teachers. The study comprised ten parents/guardians, eight teachers, and ten elementary school students identified as presenting with high abilities/giftedness. Data were collected by means of the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS), applied to parents, teachers, and students; and the Socially Skillful Responses Questionnaire (SSRQ), applied to parents and teachers. For parents and teachers, children’s social skills were considered above average, whereas for themselves they were considered below average. However, the three groups indicated social deficits in some factors that require preventive attention and interventions, namely: self-control/civility; cooperation/empathy; social assertiveness/resourcefulness; external and internalizing behavior problems; and hyperactivity. These findings enable the development of preventive interventions aimed at promoting social skills among HA/G children based on the reports of parents/guardians, teachers and children themselves.
Keywords:
High Abilities; Giftedness; Social Skills; Behavioral Problems; Multiple Informants