{"id":362,"date":"2020-07-20T21:44:42","date_gmt":"2020-07-20T21:44:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/?page_id=362"},"modified":"2024-03-14T23:57:22","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T23:57:22","slug":"strategies-for-enhancing-social-peer-relationships","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/?page_id=362","title":{"rendered":"Strategies for Enhancing Social\/Peer Relationships"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"is-style-success\">Your client may have some difficulty socializing and connecting with same-age peers. It is common for children with neurodevelopmental disorders to experience challenges with social skills and difficulty making and keeping friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>For more information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.additudemag.com\/help-socially-immature-kids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.additudemag.com\/help-socially-immature-kids\/<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.understood.org\/en\/learning-thinking-differences\/child-learning-disabilities\/add-adhd\/5-ways-adhd-can-affect-social-skills\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.understood.org\/en\/learning-thinking-differences\/child-learning-disabilities\/add-adhd\/5-ways-adhd-can-affect-social-skills<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a3e7c83b3aeaf3869ecca68442b3bb9a\" style=\"color:#ae2121;text-transform:capitalize\"><strong>To support your client in enhancing their social\/peer relationships, it may be helpful to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Encourage your client&#8217;s teachers and parents to\u00a0continue to work on building\u00a0their social skills so that they have positive peer interactions and relationships (e.g., problem solving, getting along with others).\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Provide verbal explanations of specific social skills, including facial expressions and social pragmatics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Identify and label improper behavior (e.g., \u201c<em>You\u2019re interrupting my conversation with your father.<\/em>\u201d). \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is important to label behaviour in a neutral, nonjudgmental tone, and teach the correct social skill (e.g., \u201c<em>Please wait for a pause in the discussion, and say \u2018Excuse me.&#8217;<\/em>\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Work with your\u00a0client\u00a0to set<strong> <em>achievable<\/em> <\/strong>social goals.\u00a0Make the goals as specific as possible (e.g.,<em> \u201cI will say hello to Sara at lunch today<\/em>\u201d). \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Provide reinforcement and positive feedback when your client demonstrates appropriate social behaviours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Help the client increase their awareness of how their behaviour can affect those around them. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For example, ask them to describe the issue they are having, why they think this is happening, and how they can change their behaviour.\u00a0\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The following handout can be used to help a child work through the social problem:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/files\/2020\/07\/Social-Autopsy-Worksheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Social Autopsy Worksheet<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Coaching may be an effective strategy at school and home to help improve your client&#8217;s&nbsp;social relationships.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For example, emphasize good social behaviour (e.g., turn taking) and practice different ways to settle conflict.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Review with the client a clear set of guidelines for unacceptable behaviors and acceptable ways to express difficult feelings such as anger or disappointment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Provide the client with social language to help them communicate their feelings. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For example, to express their feelings in a situation, prompt them to use an &#8220;<em><strong>I feel _____ when _____&#8221; approach<\/strong><\/em>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For younger clients, specify and teach words or phrases that the client can use when dealing with accidents (such as &#8220;<em>I&#8217;m sorry, it was an accident<\/em>&#8220;) and aggressive acts (such as, <em>&#8221; I&#8217;m sorry, I won&#8217;t do it again&#8221;<\/em>).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Teach and practice turn-taking skills during games and activities with the clients. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Younger clients may benefit from using language such as &#8220;<em>my turn<\/em>&#8221; and &#8220;<em>your turn<\/em>&#8221; to help them identify who is expected to go next. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Encourage those around the client to model and reinforce these turn taking behaviours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Continue to provide the client with structured\/supervised opportunities to promote positive peer interactions and develop friendships with their classmates (e.g., peer assisted learning opportunities). \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Facilitate opportunities for them to develop connections with their classmates. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It may be helpful to pair your client\u00a0up with students who are more tolerable and have similar interests.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Role-play and rehearse social situations with the client<\/strong>. Allow the client to play herself with an adult (e.g., parent) plays the other child. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Begin with scripted interactions then move on to improvisation of situations. Switch roles. Discuss what the client\u00a0did well and what they could do differently.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Encourage those around the client to observe their social interactions. Many children will commit social blunders without realizing it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If observing such a situation, encourage the observer to discuss with the situation with the client using this same analyzing technique of what went well and what they could have done differently.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Congratulate the client after engaging in a successful social interaction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Encourage the client to find opportunities to compliment their friends.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Work to identify potential friends. Talk with your client about who they like to spend time with, who they get along with, and who is interested in the same interests. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Help them make a connection and provide them with opportunities to grow authentic friendships with those peers.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your client\u2019s anxiety may make it difficult to push themselves out of their comfort zone. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Challenge your client to call a friend and make plans, even if it is difficult. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This may temporarily increase their anxiety, but will become easier with practice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-21905616a17032ae01f0313c7b5e83bc\" style=\"color:#ae2121;text-transform:capitalize\"><strong>To support your client in enhancing their social\/peer relationship<\/strong>s <strong>Pt 2.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Talk with&nbsp;your client about the qualities of a good friend. It can help her\/him know what to look for, and also how to be a good friend. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For example, good friends do not hurt each other\u2019s feelings and can disagree without being mean.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Continue to encourage your client and provide her\/him with opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities where they can interact with like-minded peers. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The goal is to find something the client likes and it good at. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This will help them spend time with other children who share their interest and can help boost their confidence around friendships.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Discuss with your client and their family the possibility of participating in a small-group social skills program to practice conversation skills, understanding personal boundaries, and more social skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If your client has ADHD, they may benefit from social skills programming designed specifically for students with ADHD to enhance her social functioning.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li> Check out the resources from the<a href=\"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/?page_id=343\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> ADHD<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/?page_id=314\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">community resources<\/a> tab.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your client and their parents may benefit from reading books such as:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>The Social Skills Guidebook: Manage Shyness, Improve Your Conversations, and Make Friends without Giving Up Who You Are <\/em>(by Chris McLeod)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-4b8686bd2ab37d885088430be6ca7c19\" style=\"color:#1b7fb8\"><strong>For Younger Clients<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-info\">For younger clients who require more self-monitoring, parents or caretakers of the client should be encouraged to play a large role in the planning and monitoring of their social activities. As the client ages, the client should become more responsible for planning their own social activities.<br><br>\u25a0 Begin with one-on-one play.<br><br>\u25a0 It is recommended that first contact between two children should be a structured activity (such as a trip to a playground, a museum, or to a movie) and should occur for a shorter period of time (a 2 to 3 hour activity is recommended for children under the age of 10).<br><br>\u25a0 Discuss social skill techniques that the child is working on beforehand. Go over the techniques that may be the most useful during that activity or with their friend.<br><br>\u25a0 An adult should monitor the children until they are sure that the children are getting along. A parent or caretaker should intervene and correct inappropriate behavior if physical aggression occurs.<br><br>\u25a0 Encourage the child to take a break from the activity if they become overstimulated.<br><br>\u25a0 Discuss how the outing went afterward. Praise the client for positive interactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>For more information and targeted interventions on building relationships, see these handouts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/files\/2020\/09\/Friendships-Handout.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Friendships Handout<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/files\/2020\/09\/Peer-Relationships-Handout.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Peer Relationships Handout<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/files\/2020\/09\/Shyness-Handout.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shyness Handout<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-summary\">\nYour client may have some difficulty socializing and connecting with same-age peers. It is common for children with neurodevelopmental disorders&hellip;\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/?page_id=362\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;Strategies for Enhancing Social\/Peer Relationships&rdquo;<\/span>&hellip;<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":8966,"featured_media":0,"parent":1387,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-362","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/362","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8966"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=362"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/362\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3272,"href":"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/362\/revisions\/3272"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1387"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/resourcelibrary.ucalgaryblogs.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}