The effectiveness of a social skills training program with Chinese cultural characteristics: Examining the cognitive and behavioral changes in Chinese undergraduates using self-assessment and evaluation by others

Abstract

The cognitive and behavioral effectiveness of a social skills training (SST) program involving uniquely Chinese cultural characteristics was investigated through self- and others' assessment. Chinese undergraduates (N=39) were divided into a control group and an SST group. The SST group participated a brief SST program that was developed by incorporating cross-cultural social skills and unique Chinese cultural characteristics. The control group participated in a program that bears no relationship to social skills. In order to examine the behavioral effectiveness of the program, a series of conversational and observational experiments was conducted. The results indicated that Chinese, cross-cultural, and Japanese social skills' scores of the SST group increased significantly after the program compared with the control group. This suggested the effectiveness of the program on participants' cognition. The scales for evaluating participants' behaviors from self-observations and those of other observers also showed significant changes in the SST group. It is concluded that the program was effective for changing participants' behaviors in addition to their cognition. Simultaneous changes in Chinese and Japanese skill factors suggested the possibility that cultural factors are connected to each other.