IDENTIFICATION AND VALIDATION OF CRITICAL CONVERSATIONAL SOCIAL SKILLS

In this study, we used a four-step social validation process to identi fy and validate critical skill components that constitute high school students' conversational behavior. The four steps were nominating targ et behaviors, establishing a normative range of performance, manipulat ing simulations of behavioral dimensions, and comparing ratings of jud ges to levels of performance on those behavioral dimensions. Multiple measures, both quantitative and qualitative, suggested that the rate a nd percentage of time initiating and responding verbally, the percenta ge of time attending, and the percentage of time not engaging in distr acting motor behavior related to favorable ratings by a wide variety o f 60 judges. Findings are discussed in relation to the utility of the multistep social validation process and the identification of critical social skill components as targets of interventions.