Investigating the Social Skills of Children Aged 7-12 Years Based on Demographic Factors

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The ability to successfully interact with peers and adults is one of the most important aspects of a child's development. Failure to acquire social skills has a negative effect on the development of the child's personality and his adaptation to the environment. The present study was conducted to investigate the social skills of 7-12-year-old children based on demographic factors in those who visited Taleghani Clinic in Gorgan City in 1401. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with a descriptive-analytical approach on 301 children aged 7-12-year-old students in Gorgan city in 1401. The required data were collected through the Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS). The data were analyzed in SPSS23 software using Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The results of this study showed that gender, birth rank, parents’ educational level, parents’ occupation, living with parents, and the number of children had a significant effect on social skills and problem behaviors; however, ethnicity had no significant effect. Conclusion: Various demographic factors affect children's social skills, and by being aware of them, the necessary interventions can be conducted just in time.

Keywords

• behavioral problems
• child
• school
• social skill