Environmental influence on the development of social skills in children

Abstract

The socially skillful behavior, known commonly as social skills, is related to a class of behaviors that enables the individual to satisfy adequately the demands of interpersonal situations. Self-control, cooperation, social availability, civility, empathy, and skillful academic practice are some of the behaviors pointed out by literature as being socially skillful. The development of such behaviors stems in childhood, during the interactions with their parents as well as with other adults, and afterwards with their peers during the first years of school. Some children who do not develop a socially skillful repertoire, may learn other behaviors that contribute to the establishment of negative interactions between them and the social group they live in. The aspects of children’s education discussed in this work can be used to subsidy professionals in guiding parents to prevent their children’s behavioral problems, thereby avoiding learning and socialization difficulties in childhood and adolescence.