The Impact of Social Skills Training on the Self-concepts of Gifted High School Students

Abstract

In an exploratory outcome study, the social self-concepts of four gifted high school students attending a rigorous residential program were examined as they participated in a social skills workshop. Subjects participated in a pre-test measurement of their global self-concept using the Marsh Self-Description Questionnaire III which differentiates between social self-concept and academic self-concept. The subjects then participated in a three-week social skills workshop that was patterned after the Culcross and Jenkins-Friedman (1988) model. A post-test self-concept measurement was gathered Contrary to the hypothesis, the subjects did not demonstrate an increase in their social self-concepts. Implications of this study and suggestions for future research are presented.