Home Furniture INC. Name: University affiliation: Date: Company overview Home Furniture Inc. is a US furniture company that focuses in a wide range of well-designed and ready to assemble furniture. The company has been in operation for the last 30 years. It is headquartered in Washington DC. Home Furniture Inc. has utilized its effective management and innovation to excel in the local company. Management feel that the company should now take advantage of globalization to increase its market share and profitability. Home Furniture Inc. has more than 70 wholly owned stores in the US. It also operates 3 franchisee under international brands. Home Furniture Inc. has focused on the local market since it was incorporate. The company started by selling small home accessories and trinket products in the US. However, in the last 15 years, the company has been able to design its own high quality furniture products. Company overview This has enabled the company to increase its business operations and revenues. In fact, it has become one of the most recognized brand names in the US. In January 2018, management committee decided that it is the right time for the company go international. After a critical evaluation of the furniture industry, Home Furniture Inc. decided to venture into Indian market(White, Hemphill, Joplin & Marsh, 2014). Most of Home Furniture stores are wholly owned. The company has employed this strategy over the last 20 years to expand its operations in all the states across the US. This strategy has proved successful which explains why the firm intend to enter the Indian market as a wholly owned subsidiary. Home Furniture has eyed the Indian market over the last five years but failed to go international due to lack of proper market research and lack of adequate capital. Since the company has done proper research and there is enough capital to venture into Indian market, management have agreed to invest 600 million to create a wholly owned subsidiary. Rational for entering Indian market India was the most appropriate country to enter since most countries in fast growing economies have well established furniture companies. Most importantly, this countries import their furniture from china. The mistrust between china and India has made it almost impossible for Indians to imports goods from china. This has left the Indian market with few local players who lack the technology and technical knowhow to manufacture high quality furniture. Home Furniture has been decided to go international in order to intensify its business operations. Management noted that the slowing market demand in the US can only be reduced by going international. This strategy will also increase revenues and diversify risk in multiple ways. Since the local companies have a low production cost, Home Furniture will focus on its ability to achieve economy of scale. This strategic capability together with its high tech knowledge in furniture manufacturing w ...

1. Home Furniture INC.
Name:
University affiliation:
Date:
Company overview
Home Furniture Inc. is a US furniture company that focuses in a
wide range of well-designed and ready to assemble furniture.
The company has been in operation for the last 30 years. It is
headquartered in Washington DC. Home Furniture Inc. has
utilized its effective management and innovation to excel in the
local company. Management feel that the company should now
take advantage of globalization to increase its market share and
profitability.
Home Furniture Inc. has more than 70 wholly owned stores in
the US. It also operates 3 franchisee under international brands.
Home Furniture Inc. has focused on the local market since it
was incorporate. The company started by selling small home
accessories and trinket products in the US. However, in the last
15 years, the company has been able to design its own high
quality furniture products.
Company overview
This has enabled the company to increase its business
operations and revenues. In fact, it has become one of the most
recognized brand names in the US. In January 2018,
management committee decided that it is the right time for the

2. company go international. After a critical evaluation of the
furniture industry, Home Furniture Inc. decided to venture into
Indian market(White, Hemphill, Joplin & Marsh, 2014).
Most of Home Furniture stores are wholly owned. The company
has employed this strategy over the last 20 years to expand its
operations in all the states across the US. This strategy has
proved successful which explains why the firm intend to enter
the Indian market as a wholly owned subsidiary.
Home Furniture has eyed the Indian market over the last five
years but failed to go international due to lack of proper market
research and lack of adequate capital. Since the company has
done proper research and there is enough capital to venture into
Indian market, management have agreed to invest 600 million to
create a wholly owned subsidiary.
Rational for entering Indian market
India was the most appropriate country to enter since most
countries in fast growing economies have well established
furniture companies. Most importantly, this countries import
their furniture from china. The mistrust between china and India
has made it almost impossible for Indians to imports goods from
china. This has left the Indian market with few local players
who lack the technology and technical knowhow to manufacture
high quality furniture.
Home Furniture has been decided to go international in order to
intensify its business operations. Management noted that the
slowing market demand in the US can only be reduced by going
international. This strategy will also increase revenues and
diversify risk in multiple ways.
Since the local companies have a low production cost, Home
Furniture will focus on its ability to achieve economy of scale.
This strategic capability together with its high tech knowledge
in furniture manufacturing will enable the firm to succeed in
India.

3. Market entry strategy: wholly owned subsidiary
The most effective market entry strategy is wholly owned
subsidiary.
Home Furniture will enter the Indian market as a wholly owned
subsidiary. Home Furniture has established Zuari a local
furniture company which will be acquired 100 percent of its
stock in order to promote its products.
The main reason why wholly owned subsidiary has been
considered as the most effective strategy is because it allows for
operational control and smooth entry into the new market
(Meschi, Phan & Wassmer, 2016).
It will make it easier for Home Furniture to penetrate the market
since the local company has already established itself in the
market.
According to Meyer and Su (2015) a wholly owned subsidiary
ensures the parent company has maintained control over its core
competences. This will allow Home Furniture to have control
over its operations practice such as decision making, marketing
strategy and logistics. Finally, Home Furniture will enjoy full
profit for its hard work and will enjoy control over every
operation.
Environment of operation
India has a well established furniture market. However, the
market is largely controlled by local players.
This players lacks the innovation and technology required to
manufacture high end furniture.
The key success factor that will ensure Home Furniture has
effectively penetrated the Indian market is ability to achieve

4. economy of scale. This is because local players have low
administration and production cost (Tasavori Ghauri &
Zaefarian, 2016).
In order to reduce its operational cost, the best strategy is to
focus on achieving economy of scale. Secondly, Home Furniture
will also focus on differentiating its brand name. This will be
achieved by manufacturing high quality furniture for the low,
medium and upper class. The main objective is to target all
customers irrespective of their social class.
Cultural profile
Understanding the cultural profile of Indian is one of the key
determinant of whether Home Furniture will succeed in the
Indian market. The Indian culture is different from western
culture because they prefer traditional home decorations.
This means that consumers are more likely to reject western
designed furniture since they are used to traditional designed
that suite their culture. Since Home Furniture will enter through
a joint venture, its success rate is high since the local company
understands the cultural designs that suit is customers.
Since Home Furniture will enter the Indian market as a wholly
owned subsidiary, management expect the local community to
support and buy its products.
Moreover, the ability of the firm to manufacture furniture for
all social class will make it acceptable to everyone. However,
local distributors will view the entry as a way of increasing
competition. Therefore, Home Furniture expects local
distributors and firm to increase competition by reducing prices.
Organizational chart

5. This simple organizational chart was the most appropriate
because this is the first wholly owned subsidiary in a foreign
nation. The main objective is to make ensure everyone in the
organization understand its operation.
The division product will be headed by a middle level manager
who will oversee the overall operations of the firm. He will also
report directly to the CEO. Each department will be headed by a
departmental head who will report directly to the divisional
manager.
Decision making will also be easy since the top managers will
communicate their policies and strategy to the divisional
managers before passing it to departmental heads.
8
Staffing policy
The best staffing policy for top management will be
ethnocentric policy. This is a strategy whereby the top level
managers are employed from the head office instead of
employing local staff.
There are several reasons why the Home Furniture has opted to
use this strategy in India. First, it will acquire 100 percent of its
subsidiary therefore there is no one to objective this
management strategy.
Secondly, ethnocentric policy will allow the head office to
transfer its culture and foreign operations smoothly into the
subsidiary. It is easier to transfer expatriates and knowledge to
the subsidiary without risking loosing critical competitive
advantage information.
Lastly, this strategy will ensure effective communication
between the head office and subsidiary.

6. Leadership and motivational system
Home Furniture will employ democratic leadership. In
democratic leadership, members of the groups/departments are
encouraged to discuss and give their opinion (Certo, 2015).
This strategy will be the most effectively especially in a
country with a completely different cultural beliefs. The main
reason for employing this strategy is to ensure medium level
managers (Indians) give their opinion and experience in the
local market.
Since top managers come from head office, they do not
understand Indian market situation. However, through
participative leadership, they will gain more understanding
about the market and customer buying behavior.
Leadership and motivational system
Democratic leadership achieves two goes at the same time.
First, it help top managers to understand the Indian market
through participation of employees and mid-level managers.
Secondly, it motivate employees because they feel that they
opinions matter the organization.
In order to motivate employees, employees are given an
opportunity to oversee some of their proposals if it is in the best
interest of the company. During the first five years, the
company will tend to balance between flat and democratic
leadership to motivate and understand the new market and its
customers.
A flat management style is effective in motivate employees
since they feel they are part of the organization and they
opinions matters to top level managers. It also give local
employees (Indians) a chance to interact with their western
counterpart. This interaction is aimed at creating trust which is
essential in motivating employees.

7. Communication problems face by managers
The major communication challenges facing the company
include the following:
Direct vs. indirect communication
Accents and fluency
Wrong attitude toward hierarchy and authority
The major challenge that is likely to affect Home Furniture’s
subsidiary managers in India is use of direct and indirect
communication.
Western managers use direct communication in the workplace
which might create confusion in India. This challenge is likely
to manifest itself during face to face conversation especially
when communication is virtual.
In the western world, employee give a direct answer based on
how they understand a situation. However, in India, employees
are more likely to response by giving suggesting without stating
it directly. Home Furniture know this problem might exist
during operations. Consequently, top managers heading the
subsidiary will undergo training how to handle communication
in the workplace.
Secondly, managers will face challenge when communicating
due to difference in accents and fluency. Most western
managers can speak English fluently in an American accent.
This is likely to be challenging for Indians who are non-English
speakers. If this challenge is not solved, employee will feel
unnoticed and unappreciated since they have difficulties
expressing what they think and feel. This problem can sometime
cause interpersonal conflict and discourage employee
engagement. This challenge will be solved by the upper and
medium managers who come from India
12

8. Communication problems
Hierarchy and difference in attitude toward authority will affect
communication in the subsidiary. Indians treat employees on
different ranks differently.
In India, most organizational have a flat hierarchical structure
where they work together as a team. However, in the western
world, an employee has to present their ideas to middle level
managers before reaching to the CEO. This challenge will be
solve by diversity training in the workplace especially for
western managers.
The major concern of the local community is loss of
employment after acquisition. In order to solve this problem,
Home Furniture will retain existing employees apart from top
executives. Moreover, the firm will also obtain 30% of its raw
material from the local community. In fact, 70% of employee
will be recruited from within the surrounding communities. The
main aim is to increase community support and to build a strong
brand image.
references
Certo, S. (2015). Supervision: Concepts and skill-building.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Meschi, P. X., Phan, T. T., & Wassmer, U. (2016).
Transactional and institutional alignment of entry modes in
transition economies. A survival analysis of joint ventures and
wholly owned subsidiaries in Vietnam. International Business
Review, 25(4), 946-959.
Meyer, K. E., & Su, Y. S. (2015). Integration and
responsiveness in subsidiaries in emerging economies. Journal
of World Business, 50(1), 149-158.
Tasavori, M., Ghauri, P. N., & Zaefarian, R. (2016). Entering
the base of the pyramid market in India: A corporate social

9. entrepreneurship perspective. International Marketing Review,
33(4), 555-579.
White III, G. O., Hemphill, T. A., Joplin, J. R., & Marsh, L. A.
(2014). Wholly owned foreign subsidiary relation-based
strategies in volatile environments. International Business
Review, 23(1), 303-312.
ORIGINAL PAPER
Tailoring Social Competence Interventions for Children
with Learning Disabilities
Karen Milligan1 • Marjory Phillips2 • Ashley S. Morgan2
Published online: 3 September 2015
� Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015
Abstract Challenges in social competence are common
in children with Learning Disabilities (LDs), particularly
those who present with co-occurring mental health chal-
lenges (LD ? MH). Social competence calls upon a com-
plex set of skills, including social skills, perspective-taking
abilities, and an understanding of the social environment.

10. Successful enactment of these skills necessitates behavioral
and emotion regulation, an area of weakness for many
youth with LD ? MH. Using a mixed-method design, the
present study assessed the efficacy of a social competence
group program for children with LD ? MH (mean
age = 11.4 years) in which group size, content, and
structure are tailored to the child’s level of emotion regu-
lation, information processing abilities, and social compe-
tence goals. Quantitative measures completed by parents
and coded behavioral observations completed pre- and
post-treatment indicated significant gains in initiation and
engagement in positive social interactions, foundational
skills that support improvement in social competence.
Qualitative interviews with parents, children and teachers
suggested improvements in social self-concept, initiation,
and emotion regulation. Tailoring treatment to the child’s
information processing and emotion regulation abilities, as
well as ‘in the moment’ feedback, supported gains made

11. and contributed to participants having a positive social
experience. Directions for future research are discussed.
Keywords Learning disabilities � Social competence �
Group intervention � Emotion regulation � Children and
youth
Introduction
Social competence refers to the ability to successfully and
independently engage in social interactions, to establish
and maintain relationships with others, and to have one’s
needs and desires met across diverse contexts (Stichter
et al. 2012). Engaging in meaningful social relationships
plays a foundational role in fostering mental health across
the lifespan. Without supportive social relationships, chil-
dren are more likely to experience low self-esteem (Side-
ridis 2007), loneliness (Valås 1999), social rejection (Bryan
et al. 2004), and bullying and peer victimization (Mishna
2003), and are at greater risk for school failure (Parker and
Asher 1987).
Social competence calls upon a complex set of skills and

12. competencies, including age-appropriate social skills, reg-
ulation of behaviors and emotions, perspective-taking
abilities, and an understanding of the social environment
(Baumeister et al. 2005; Shechtman and Katz 2007).
Information processes, including attention (Andrade et al.
2009), executive functions (Riggs et al. 2006), language
abilities (McCabe and Meller 2004), and theory of mind
(Fink et al. 2014) have also been associated with social
competence and peer relations.
Information processing weaknesses are common among
children with learning disabilities (LDs). Children with
LDs have average to above average levels of cognitive
ability but do not achieve in reading, writing, and/or math
at a level that would be expected for their age or cognitive
ability (Burke 2008). Given the link between information
& Karen Milligan
[email protected]
1
Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria
Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada

13. 2
The Integra Program, Child Development Institute, Toronto,
ON, Canada
123
J Child Fam Stud (2016) 25:856–869
DOI 10.1007/s10826-015-0278-4
http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1007/s10826-015-
0278-4&domain=pdf
http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1007/s10826-015-
0278-4&domain=pdf
processing and social competence, many children with LDs
experience significant challenge with social interactions.
In a meta-analysis of social skills research, Forness and
Kavale (1996) found that 75 % of students with LDs have
lower levels of social competence than typically develop-
ing children, as assessed by teachers, peers, and children
themselves. Approximately 50 % of children with LDs are
rejected, neglected, or victimized by peers (Baumeister
et al. 2008; Mishna 2003), and many have impoverished

14. and unstable friendships (Wiener and Schneider 2002;
Wiener and Sunohara 1998), putting them at increased risk
for co-occurring mental health challenges in addition to
their LD (LD ? MH).
Information processing challenges may underlie both
learning and social competence difficulties, such as
understanding sarcasm, reading body language, or recalling
information about social situations (Bauminger et al. 2005;
Elksnin and Elksnin 2004). Children with LDs may also
lack the language skills necessary to put voice to their ideas
and desires and to negotiate with peers (McCabe and
Meller 2004). Challenges with attention have been asso-
ciated with behavioral challenges in social interactions
(Andrade et al. 2009). Further, many youth with LDs
present with challenges within the domain of executive
functions, which may impact on their ability to plan social
interactions, execute their plans, monitor the success of
their behavior, and flexibly shift their behavioral approach

15. based on feedback from peers and the broader environment
(Clark et al. 2002; Nigg et al. 1999).
Group-based social skills intervention has been identi-
fied as the treatment of choice for improving the quality of
peer relationships of children with LD ? MH, given that
the group setting provides the opportunity to create more
naturalistic and experiential peer interaction opportunities
in which to teach and practice social skills (Mishna et al.
2010). While social skills groups for children with LDs
have been associated with positive outcomes (e.g.,
improved social skills and self-esteem, decreased feelings
of isolation), results of meta-analyses indicate an average
effect size of .21 (Forness and Kavale 1996; Kavale and
Mostert 2004), which is considered small in strength (Co-
hen 1988).
Improving the effectiveness of social competence pro-
grams for children with LD ? MH may lie in tailoring
treatment to their specific social competence and infor-

16. mation processing needs. Gresham et al. (2001) have
suggested that social competence challenges can arise due
to a lack of knowledge of social skills (acquisition deficit),
not being able to perform skills due to cognitive, emotional
or behavioral factors (performance deficit or competing
behaviors), or challenges with not being able to implement
a skill with automaticity or fluency when needed (fluency
deficit). Social competence researchers have further
suggested that intervention effectiveness may be improved
if interventions are tailored to the unique information
processing strengths and needs of the child (Cotugno 2009;
Guli et al. 2013; Maag 2006; Stichter et al. 2012). Tailoring
of social competence interventions may be particularly
important for children with LDs, and in particular, for those
that present with co-occurring mental health challenges
(LD ? MH). A recent study by Margari et al. (2013) found
that almost 50 % of children with a specific learning dis-
ability met criteria for another psychological disorder, such

17. as anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD), and depression. Behavior problems are also more
common in children with LDs (Lowe et al. 2007). This
comorbidity is important to consider given that challenges
with information processing are common, and may be
magnified, when both LDs and mental health difficulties
are present. For example, executive functioning deficits are
more severe in the LD ? ADHD comorbid population than
in ADHD alone (Seidman et al. 2001).
The impact of information processing challenges on
social competence also needs to be further understood
within the context of emotion regulation, particularly when
intervening with performance and fluency based social
competence challenges. Emotion regulation is defined as
the ‘‘extrinsic and intrinsic processes responsible for
monitoring, evaluating, and modifying emotional reactions,
especially in their intensive and temporal features, to
accomplish one’s goals’’ (Thompson 1994, pp. 27–28). For

18. children with LDs, the ability to manage and modify
emotional reactivity is a significant contributor to social
information processing (Bauminger and Kimhi-Kind
2008). Emotional reactivity is impacted by information
processing (e.g., language, flexibility, processing speed,
inhibition; Diamond 2013). From a neurobiological per-
spective, the presence of a strong emotional response limits
a child’s ability to fully engage their cognitive abilities
(e.g., impulse control, cognitive flexibility, social knowl-
edge, perspective-taking abilities, social skills; Zelazo and
Lyons 2012), which may already be weakened due to the
presence of information processing challenges associated
with the LD or mental health difficulty. Further, many
children with LDs experience feelings of low self-esteem,
failure, shame, and self-doubt associated with the school
challenges they have experienced (Arthur 2003; Ginieri-
Coccossis et al. 2013; Mishna and Muskat 2004), and as
such may be more likely to interpret academic or social

19. situations as threatening. To regulate these strong emo-
tions, many children with LDs learn that avoiding activities
and interactions reduces the experience of distress and
discomfort. While effective in the short-term, this pattern
of avoidance precludes children from engaging in skill-
building opportunities (Chawla and Ostafin 2007; Duch-
arme and Harris 2005; Hayes et al. 1996). Social
J Child Fam Stud (2016) 25:856–869 857
123
competence interventions that take into account emotion
regulation abilities have the promise of supporting children
in accessing their full range of cognitive capacities which
may in turn set the stage for learning and implementing
social skills, thus promoting adaptive social interactions
(Dollar and Stifter 2012).
Tailoring to the level of social competence challenge,
information processing, and emotion regulation has been

20. largely absent in intervention studies in the extant literature
(Maag 2006). Further, a framework for tailoring treatment
for children with LD ? MH has not been posited, with
many programs lacking a clear theoretical rationale
(Kavale and Mostert 2004). Finally, norm-referenced
measures with established reliability and validity have
rarely been utilized in the extant literature (Kavale and
Mostert 2004). The present mixed-method cohort (pre-
post) study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of a
social competence program specifically tailored to meet the
unique needs of children with LD ? MH on several social
competence outcomes. We explored the impact of the
program on parent- and teacher-rated social competence
outcomes (e.g., Communication; Cooperation; Assertion;
Responsibility; Empathy; Engagement; and Self-Control)
and changes in social competence observed throughout the
group. Qualitative interviews were completed to explore
outcomes, as well as the processes that support or hinder

21. social competence gains.
Method
Participants
Thirty-six children enrolled in the Integra Social Compe-
tence (SC) Group program were invited to participate in
this study. Six children were unable to complete the group
due to transportation problems, family issues, or other
unspecified reasons. On this basis, the final sample inclu-
ded 30 children (mean age = 11.4 years, SD = 1.49),
consisting of 22 boys (mean age = 11.6 years, SD = 1.56)
and 8 girls (mean age = 10.9 years, SD = 1.19). The
sample was relatively diverse in terms of ethnicity (60 %
White, 23.3 % Asian, 13.3 % European, and 1 % Latin).
The study was conducted at an urban, community-based
children’s mental health center that is accessible to all
children with diagnosed LDs and co-occurring mental
health challenges. It is located in a middle- to upper-middle
class area of the city, and as such, the population is largely

22. reflective of this location, but includes some children from
families from a lower socioeconomic (SES) level. Infor-
mation on SES was not available for the participants.
All children had diagnosed LDs on the basis of a psy-
choeducational assessment completed by a registered
psychologist or psychological associate. While access to
the specific scores were not available for research purposes,
to meet criteria for a LD and to gain admittance into the
program, children had to have cognitive scores on the
Verbal or Perceptual Reasoning indices of the Wechsler
Intelligence Scale for Children-III or IV (or other compa-
rable intelligence test) falling within the Average to Above
Average range (25th percentile or greater), have at least
one area of academic achievement (math, reading, or
writing) that is significantly lower than their cognitive
ability, and have significant challenges in at least one area
of information processing (i.e., memory, executive func-
tions, processing speed). Further, to be specifically referred

23. to the SC Group program, children had to present with
significant emotion regulation challenges (e.g., behavior,
anxiety, depression) that impact on their peer relationships
(assessed as part of the admission criteria to the children’s
mental health center).
Children were divided into ten groups based on a multi-
source assessment of their information processing and
emotion regulation skills as well as their performance
ability of specific social skills. In the SC Group program
model, social competence and emotion regulation are
dimensional constructs, and as the group characteristics
increase or decrease along these dimensions, there is a
corresponding increase or decrease in the level of pro-
cessing that occurs within the group structure. As depicted
in Fig. 1, the assessment process begins with case man-
agers and parents completing a group referral form that
specifies strengths and needs in terms of learning and
information processing, as well as social skills and emotion

24. regulation (see Table 1 for information processing, social
skills, and emotion regulation areas).
All children have undergone psychoeducational assess-
ment as part of the process by which they received their LD
diagnosis. These assessments typically include information
about their verbal and visual cognitive abilities, as well as
key areas of information processing such as memory,
executive functions, and processing speed. This informa-
tion can be used as a road map to tailor treatment goals,
activities, and accommodations based on how a child learns
best in order to ensure that information is taken in and
encoded in a manner that is meaningful for the child and
promotes later recall and implementation. For example,
visually-based activities, such as cooperative building
games, are used with children who have difficulty
expressing themselves verbally. Instructions for activities
are provided one step at a time and may be repeated,
accommodating for processing speed and memory diffi-

25. culties. In addition to repetition of instructions, slower
processing speed is accommodated for by slowing down
the pace of the game and ensuring that the child is not
rushed by other group members. Similarly, children who
858 J Child Fam Stud (2016) 25:856–869
123
have difficulty with transitions and ‘letting go’ may be
engaged in group games that target turn-taking and shifting
from one task to another. Memory and generalization dif-
ficulties are alleviated through use of visuals both in and
out of session, including the use of weekly session sum-
maries with at-home recommendations that are taken home
by parents to help reinforce the skills practiced during the
session. Executive function challenges (e.g., attention,
impulse control, and cognitive flexibility) and perspective-
taking are addressed through use of ‘in the moment’
feedback and scaffolding.

26. Children are then observed in two group assessment
sessions (with 5–8 children) a week apart. During these
sessions, they play a variety of social skill based games,
including collaborative problem-solving games, games
requiring identification of emotion (e.g., Taxi Driver game
which requires the ‘‘taxi driver’’ to observe and mimic the
emotion of the child who is their ‘‘passenger’’). These
activities create an opportunity for group leaders and case
managers (observing from behind a one-way mirror) to
observe the emotion regulation and social competence
abilities of children (following the categories included on
the group referral form).
The case manager combines information from the
child’s psychological assessment report, parent and teacher
reports, and observations from the assessment groups to
make a clinical judgment about optimal group placement.
Children with difficulties in regulating emotions and
behaviors are flagged for placement in small groups of 2–3

27. children. Children who are better able to regulate emotions
are assigned to larger groups, which may include up to
eight children. All group placements are further matched
according to level of social skills (high, medium, low),
gender (male or female), and age. The nature of group
activities is determined by the composition of children in
the assigned group and is tailored to their LDs. For
example, with a triad of younger boys with low emotion
regulation and social skills and low language abilities, the
group will consist of a fast pace of group games and
activities to practice basic social competence, such as eye
contact, turn-taking, and improving awareness of others. In
contrast, with a larger group of older, well-regulated boys
Case manager and parent complete a group referral form
containing
data related to strengths, needs, information processing
abilities,
social skills, and level of emotion regulation
Clinical team observes child in two assessment group sessions
Consider child's abilities on two key dimensions:

28. 1. Social Competence Abilities (e.g., openness to others, ability
to join, tolerance of others)
2. Emotion Regulation Skills (e.g., self-control, response to
adult direction, ability to follow group structure)
Low level of ER/SC
Activities themselves foster basic social
skills building (e.g. turn-taking, listening,
making eye contact, etc.)
Need for direct coaching
High level of ER/SC
Activities provide ‘in the moment’ teaching
followed by processing
Focus on ‘higher order’ social competence
skills such as understanding impact on
others, perspective-taking, social problem-
solving
Social Competence (SC)
E
m
ot
io
n
R
eg
ul
at
io

29. n
(E
R
)
Resulting Groups: 3 low SC/low ER; 1 low SC/medium
ER; 1 medium SC/low ER; 5 medium SC/high ER
Fig. 1 Flow chart illustrating
the Integra Social Competence
Group Program assessment
process. Participants’
information processing abilities
are considered when planning
the group activities. Group
participants with very low levels
of emotion regulation are often
streamed into dyads and triads
J Child Fam Stud (2016) 25:856–869 859
123
with low social skills and high verbal abilities, cooperative

30. games are accompanied by group discussions to process the
application of the social competence skills used in the
game to real-life challenges, such as conflict resolution
when working on a similar group project at school.
Procedure
The SC Group program ran on a weekly basis for
10 weeks, after the completion of the two group assess-
ment sessions. Each group was planned and run by two
Masters-level therapists with training in providing support
to children and youth with mental health issues compli-
cated by learning disabilities. Co-therapists liaised with the
case manager and, when necessary, the parents to set goals
for each group so that they were tailored to the social
competence level and emotion regulation needs of the
children. In addition to group goals, each child within the
group had individual social competence goals that had been
identified by the case manager in collaboration with the
family and the child. Across all groups (assessment and

31. treatment), there was a similar structure that included
providing the children with a written agenda, a ‘check in’
discussion at the beginning, followed by games and
activities, and ending with ‘snack and chat.’ For all groups,
each weekly session was supplemented by a handout for
parents/guardians that outlined the session goal and tar-
geted skills and provided suggestions for home and school
practice.
Groups low on both social competence and emotion
regulation were structured in such a way as to limit the
amount of processing that occurred and focused more on
fostering basic social skills such as turn-taking and making
eye contact, for example. Groups characterized by higher
levels of social competence and emotion regulation were
structured to include games and activities that fostered
cooperation, group work, conflict resolution skills, and
higher order social competence skills such as perspective-
taking and social problem-solving. Such groups also

32. emphasized processing of group dynamics and ‘in the
moment’ teaching opportunities. Group size was also
considered, especially in relation to participants’ levels of
emotion regulation. Thus, participants who were very low
on emotion regulation abilities were often streamed into
dyads and triads to ensure that their emotion regulation
needs were supported. In the current study, groups varied
in size, ranging from 2 to 5 participants each.
Considering social competence and level of emotion
regulation as two key dimensions in the group matching
process (see Fig. 1), there were three low social compe-
tence/low emotion regulation groups (n = 2–3), one low
social competence/medium emotion regulation group
(n = 3), one medium social competence/low emotion
regulation group (n = 5), and five medium social compe-
tence/high emotion regulation groups (n = 3–5).
Previous research on the SC Group program have
examined accommodations related to group process that

33. are specific to the LD population, such as special tech-
niques to accommodate for the LD and to foster positive
group process factors (Mishna et al. 2010). One long-s-
tanding key process in the SC Group program has been the
use of experiential group activities that allow ‘‘real life’’
peer conflicts, challenges, and cooperation to arise, thereby
providing opportunities for ‘in the moment’ instruction,
cueing, and reinforcement of new skills. Importantly, these
‘teachable moments’ were planned to address the social
and information processing needs of group members within
a safe and supported environment (Mishna et al. 2010).
Activities were selected to target specific skills and areas of
focus, such as turn-taking, initiating conversation, or social
problem-solving (e.g., compromising), depending on the
type of group and the level of social competence and
emotion regulation of the group members.
All children and their parents enrolled in the SC Group
program were invited to participate in the research. Con-

34. sent to participate in the completion of questionnaires and
to videotape group sessions was received by all child
participants and their parents. Questionnaires were dis-
tributed by a research assistant and completed by parents at
the first and last SC group session. Teacher questionnaires
were given to parents to give to their child’s teacher and
then were returned to the researchers by mail. All SC group
Table 1 Information processing, social, and emotion regulation
skills assessed in referral and assessment group process
Behavior
Language ability/verbal cognitive abilities
Processing speed
Memory (i.e., working memory, verbal, visual)
Attention and focus
Self-control of impulses
Copes with own emotions
Compliance with authority
Works well within structure

35. Transitions between activities
Copes with anxiety
Listens openly to others
Aware of their impact on others
Tolerance of others’ behaviors
Responds on topic
Joins in
Takes turns
Demonstrates flexibility
Asserts wishes and needs
Shows leadership and teamwork
860 J Child Fam Stud (2016) 25:856–869
123
sessions were videotaped. Data collection was carried out
by the first author of this paper and a team of research
assistants not involved in the delivery of the program but
employed by the children’s mental health center delivering

36. the group.
Measures
Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales (SSIS;
Gresham and Elliott 2008)
The SSIS provides a targeted assessment of an individual’s
social skills, problem behaviors, and academic compe-
tence. Teacher and parent forms are included to provide a
comprehensive picture of social competence across school,
home, and community settings. Subscales of interest for
this study included Communication; Cooperation; Asser-
tion; Responsibility; Empathy; Engagement; Self-Control;
and Top Ten, which includes items that were deemed by a
national sample of teachers to be most important for school
success (e.g., following rules, paying attention to instruc-
tions, turn-taking, interacting well with children, showing
concern for others, tolerating annoying behavior, and
managing disagreements). Inter-rater reliability for the
SSIS for total social competence is adequate for parent

37. (0.62) and teacher (0.70), with subscale reliability coeffi-
cients ranging from 0.35 to 0.71 (Gresham et al. 2010).
Coding of Social Competence Behaviors
All group sessions were video recorded for subsequent
coding of social competence behaviors. To qualitatively
assess changes in children’s social competence within the
context of group sessions, a social competence coding
manual was developed based on an adapted version of the
‘‘Initiative Response Assessment (IRA)’’ coding scheme
(Cummings et al. 2008). See Table 2 for a description of
behaviors coded. Behaviors were coded every 30 s for a
period of 10 min. Coding was completed at the beginning
(e.g., session 1), middle (e.g., session 5), and end (e.g.,
session 10). If a child was absent during the designated
coding session, the next session attended was coded. To
determine inter-coder reliability, 20 % of coded sessions
were independently coded by a second member of the
coding team. The coding team was not involved in the

38. delivery of the group treatment. There were no significant
differences between coder observations, with agreement
exceeding 90 % for each behavior category.
Qualitative Interviews
To understand the experience of children participating in
the SC Group program and key intervention processes and
outcomes, children and their parents and teachers were
invited to participate in an interview. Given the pilot nature
of this study, we sought to collect detailed information
from a small group of children and to triangulate this
information with data from interviews with parents and
teachers. A poster inviting children and their parents to
participate in interviews about their experience was posted
in the waiting room area outside of the therapy room
2 weeks prior to the end of the group. Case managers who
were not directly involved in the delivery of the group also
provided names of parents and children who they thought
would be able to reflect on their experience in the program

39. and fully participate in a verbal interview. Teachers of
children who participated in these interviews were also
contacted to better understand any gains seen at school
since participation in the group.
The final sample for the qualitative interviews included
4 children, 5 parents, and 5 teachers. The majority of
children were from the medium social competence, high
emotion regulation groups, with one child representing the
medium social competence, low emotion regulation group.
Parallel forms of the semi-structured interview guide were
developed for parents and children and a brief interview
was developed for teachers. The purpose of the parent and
child interviews was to better understand the process
variables that contributed to the success of the program.
The teacher interview, in contrast, focused on description
of the child’s social interactions and any changes that the
teacher saw in the child’s social competence. Questions
included in the qualitative interview are presented in

40. Table 3. Given the exploratory nature of this research and
the small sample, an inductive thematic analysis as
described by Braun and Clarke (2006) was used to analyze
interview transcripts. This approach enabled the identifi-
cation of both explicit and implicit or underlying themes to
highlight areas that may be important in fostering social
competence and positive social experience for children
with LD ? MH. Two researchers individually read each of
the transcripts, tabulated responses, and took notes on key
themes. These themes were then discussed to ensure
common interpretation and identification of key themes.
This process allowed for investigator triangulation (i.e., the
use of two or more investigators to examine the same
phenomenon) in interpreting the data, thereby reducing the
risk of biased interpretation. Any discrepancies were
resolved by consensus.
Results
Baseline levels of social competence reported by parents

41. suggested that 75 % of children were rated as having below
to very below average social competence. Problem
J Child Fam Stud (2016) 25:856–869 861
123
behaviors were also commonly reported, with above to
well above average levels of problem behaviors noted for
71 % of children. Specific behavioral difficulties included
externalizing behavior (46 %), hyperactivity (54 %),
internalizing behavior (64 %), and behaviors seen in aut-
ism, such as preoccupied with objects, repeating things,
and not making eye contact when talking (78 %).
Children exhibited high levels of engagement
(M = 2.96, with a score of 3 representing the highest level
of engagement) across the three coded sessions (see
Table 4). Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance
(ANOVA) indicated that the most significant gains for
children were made in the area of goal-directed initiations

42. (Wilks’ k = 0.64, F (2, 25) = 7.02, p = .004), with sig-
nificant gains made between session 1 and 5 and then
maintained until the end of treatment (session 10). Results
did not significantly differ based on age, gender, type of
group, number of previous groups attended, number of
children in the group, or parent-rated level of behavioral
difficulties.
Paired sample t tests were conducted to examine chan-
ges in SSIS scores from pre- to post-intervention. Signifi-
cant gains in overall social skills approached significance
(t(22) = -1.9, p = .07), with items considered most
important to school success by a US-sample of teachers
(Top Ten) showing significant gains from pre- to post-
treatment, (t(22) = -2.35, p = .03). SSIS subscales were
examined to better understand these gains. Significant
gains were made in assertion (t(22) = -2.05, p = .05,
d = .43) and engagement (t(22) = -2.8, p = .01,
d = .59), with gains in responsibility approaching signifi-
cance t(22) = -1.91, p = .07, d = .40). Results did not

43. significantly differ based on age, gender, type of group,
number of previous groups attended, number of children in
Table 2 Description of coding scheme for social competence
group observations
Behavior Coding description
Initiation The child makes a verbal or non-verbal attempt to
interact with a peer or leader, without being prompted (e.g.,
talking
to another child, asking questions, making suggestions, taking
something from another child, with their verbal or
non-verbal acknowledgement and approval, gesturing to
demonstrate it’s another child’s turn)
Positive response The child acknowledges and responds to a
verbal or non-verbal prompt, initiated by a peer or leader (e.g.,
answering
questions, complying with another child’s on-task request,
nodding)
Rejection The child responds to a verbal or non-verbal prompt,
initiated by a peer or leader, but expresses intolerance of
another
individual’s choices, ideas, suggestions, or behaviors (e.g.,
verbal rejection, sarcasm, non-acquiescence)
Supportive/positive

44. behaviors
A positive verbal or non-verbal interaction that helps, supports,
assists, and/or provides encouragement to a peer or
leader. It may be on or off-topic and does not have to relate to
the completion of the task (e.g., providing rule or
game demonstrations, complimenting or encouraging a peer,
acquiescence)
Negative behaviors A negative verbal or non-verbal interaction
that hinders the group’s progress and/or hurts someone’s
feelings
Level of engagement 3 levels coded (occurs in at least half of
coding interval)
Actively disengaged
Engaged with some distraction
Actively engaged
Table 3 Qualitative interview questions (parent version)
Do you think the social competence group was a positive social
experience for your child? Why? Probe for specific examples
What were the best things about the social competence group?
Do you see any areas where the social competence group
experience could be improved?
What was your child’s goal for the social competence group?
How successful was he/she in achieving his/her goal? What

45. about the social
competence group program helped him/her to achieve his/her
goal?
Has the manner in which your child interacts with other
children improved since being in the group?
Have you noticed any changes in your child’s confidence in
social interactions?
Have you noticed any changes in your child’s mood (e.g., are
they more happy, less anxious, less angry or frustrated)?
Your child attended 1 or 2 sessions before the beginning of
group to determine what group would be best for him/her. What
was this
experience like for your child? What were the best parts of this
experience? What could be improved?
Did you feel that your child was with a group of children that
would enable him/her to make gains in their social competence?
What aspects of the group did you and your child like the most?
The least?
862 J Child Fam Stud (2016) 25:856–869
123
the group, or parent-rated level of behavioral difficulties.
No significant differences from pre- to post-treatment were

46. found for problem behavior (see Table 5).
Paired sample t tests were run to examine changes in
SSIS scores from pre- to post-treatment as reported by
teachers. No significant gains in social skills or decreases in
problem behavior were reported by teachers.
Qualitative Interviews
Three main outcomes were commonly described by chil-
dren and their parents: (1) improved social self-concept; (2)
increased initiation; and (3) enhanced emotion regulation.
A number of parents highlighted that they saw an
improvement in their child’s social self-concept and con-
fidence. Parents made comments such as: ‘‘She definitely is
helpful and a team player so she was able to demonstrate
that in the group, so it made her feel successful and was
good for her self-esteem;’’ ‘‘I think that it just builds his
self-esteem;’’ and ‘‘He has definitely built some self-
confidence.’’
In addition to overall social self-concept and confidence,

47. parents and children highlighted the ability to initiate
interactions and share ideas more freely. For example, one
parent remarked, ‘‘He’s learned how to find his voice.’’
Another parent discussed how the process supported her
daughter’s ability to ‘‘take on a very positive leadership
role.’’ Children reported similar themes of confidence,
initiation, and being able to share ideas. For example, a
child reported now being able to share his ideas on a school
field trip: ‘‘I’m sharing my ideas. Actually today I shared
my idea about a super villain [with the class] at the
Table 4 Behaviors of
participants in Integra Social
Competence Group assessed
through observational coding of
10-min segments from the
beginning, middle, and end of
the series
Subscale M (SD)

48. Pre-test Mid-test Post-test
Goal directed initiations* 20.56 (13.38) 34.56 (26.96) 32.89
(22.12)
Goal directed responses 13.04 (7.41) 11.67 (5.08) 7.63 (4.58)
Goal directed rejections 0.04 (0.19) 0.56 (1.31) 0.04 (0.19)
Non-goal directed initiations 0.22 (0.58) 0.85 (2.23) 1.48 (3.21)
Non-goal directed responses 0.22 (1.15) 0.07 (0.27) 0.11 (0.32)
Non-goal directed rejections 0.00 (0.00) 0.00 (0.00) 0.00 (0.00)
Positive/supportive behaviors 0.74 (1.95) 1.03 (2.89) 0.22
(0.51)
Negative behaviors 0.07 (0.38) 0.11 (0.32) 0.04 (0.19)
Acquiescence 0.04 (0.19) 0.07 (0.27) 0.04 (0.19)
Level of engagement 2.96 (0.10) 2.94 (0.11) 2.94 (0.11)
n = 27, * p .05
Table 5 Parent rated social
skills and problem behaviors of
participants in social
competence group
Subscale M (SD)
Pre-test Post-test

49. Social skills standard score
�
77.96 (10.68) 82.57 (12.68)
Social skills—communication raw score 11.35 (2.96) 12.09
(2.92)
Social skills—cooperation raw score 10.39 (2.89) 11.17 (3.07)
Social skills—assertion raw score* 10.87 (3.47) 12.04 (3.16)
Social skills—responsibility raw score
�
10.65 (3.10) 11.35 (3.14)
Social skills—empathy raw score 10.52 (3.38) 11.04 (3.50)
Social skills—engagement raw score* 8.00 (4.02) 9.87 (3.48)
Social skills—self control raw score 8.35 (2.90) 8.91 (3.44)
Problem behaviors standard score 119.30 (11.68) 118.48 (13.68)
Problem behaviors—externalizing raw score 11.04 (5.28) 11.09
(5.612)
Problem behaviors—bullying raw score 2.48 (2.00) 2.39 (2.59)
Problem behaviors—hyperactivity/inattention 9.17 (3.56) 9.04
(3.70)
Problem behaviors—internalizing raw score 10.26 (3.68) 10.13
(3.65)

50. Problem behaviors—autism spectrum score 20.00 (5.72) 18.04
(5.16)
n = 23,
�
p .10, * p .05
J Child Fam Stud (2016) 25:856–869 863
123
National Film Board Centre.’’ Another child reported that
before the group she was always ‘‘really shy at first’’ but
noted that ‘‘has all gone away’’ since completing the group.
She remarked that she now feels like things are going to be
ok when she changes schools for Grade 7. A third child
noted while speaking to the interviewer that she is now able
to ‘‘talk to people in the eyes—just like now.’’
Finally, parents and children noted improved emotion
and behavioral regulation. For example, one parent repor-
ted, ‘‘[He’s] not melting down, like frustrated.’’ Two par-
ents reported that their daughters were able to let things go

51. and that they were able to ‘‘integrate this and let [their
parents] know.’’ Another parent echoed this outcome, but
noted that they ‘‘had to build that over weeks.’’ Consistent
with emotion regulation gains, children remarked, ‘‘I liked
being with the therapist because I was still able to let out
what I need to say and not offend anybody’’ and ‘‘I feel
better when I talk [to other kids] now that I’m breathing in
and out, relaxing, I’m okay.’’ Another child also discussed
this theme, highlighting an activity that had been helpful
for her.
‘‘Well, one of the things we did was role plays and we
had to act out a scene where there were two people
fighting and then the audience had to help negotiate it
out. I realized that I’ve had very similar things hap-
pen to me before and I followed some of the advice
that I got and it seems to have worked.’’
Outcomes were mixed in terms of their generalizability to
other settings, such as school. Two parents noted positive

52. outcomes. At one extreme, a parent noted ‘‘I’m clearly
hearing at school that he’s become Mr. Popular and every-
body wants to play with him, so there’s a lot more going on in
his social life.’’ More modest gains were made by other
children. For example, a parent reported, ‘‘In grade 2 she
spent a lot of time followingthe popular girls around and they
were bothered by her behavior, whereas this year, she seems
to have more friends.’’ Another parent noted ‘‘she is talking
more in Tae Kwando, playing more with kids at recess.’’ In
contrast, one parent noted that there was ‘‘no improvement in
unstructured settings such as the schoolyard.’’
Children echoed seeing some social improvements out-
side of group. Some children noted that they had better
friendships outside of school after the group. For example,
one child reported ‘‘Playing Tip the Scale and the Friend’s
Scale…where you describe a good friend and a bad friend
[was helpful]. Now I just ignore a lot of people who try to
trick me so I have better friends now and I can trust them.
For a while I couldn’t trust my friends because of all the bad

53. stuff that was happening.’’ Similarly, another child noted:
‘‘I was actually hoping to maybe get along better with
the kids in my class, but unfortunately that didn’t
change. However, I have some girls that I see every
Sunday that I argue with a lot and I’ve actually made
friends with a lot of them now…It helped me to be
more positive and showed me ways around our
differences.’’
Mixed results in terms of generalization of social gains
were also found in teachers’ comments. Three of four
teachers noticed significant changes in the children over the
course of the group. For two children, speaking, engaging
in social interactions, and taking social risks was difficult.
Both children were reported by their teachers to have made
gains since participating in the group. Gains reported
included behaviors such as speaking in a voice that could
be heard, responding to questions asked, and playing and
interacting more with peers. Both children were reported to

54. be happier and more confident, and one child was taking
more of a leadership role and had made more friends at
school. The third child presented with more externalizing
behaviors and greater difficulty with impulse control,
reading social situations, and responding appropriately. Her
teacher also reported significant gains, including being less
disruptive and now more thoughtful and aware of herself.
She noted that she is more relaxed and happy and associ-
ates with peers that are more age-appropriate than before
the group. This child was also reported to be more confi-
dent and to be able to take on a leadership role in helping
teachers with younger students. All of the teachers noted
that, while gains had been made, there was still need for
improvement in a variety of areas, such as initiating con-
versations, reading social behaviors, and developing closer
friendships. It is interesting to note that each of the three
children described as making positive gains were in a small
class educational placement that provided them with high

55. levels of support and encouragement rather than a regular
stream classroom. It is possible that these class settings
may have similar characteristics to the group therapeutic
environment and may have supported the generalization of
these skills. In contrast, the parent of the child who was not
reported to make significant gains reported that her
daughter has struggled in her school placement and
reported that her child needed more support at school than
she was receiving. Future research is needed that explores
continuity of gains and environmental factors that may
foster generalization and maintenance of social compe-
tence skills.
Processes that support or hinder gains in social compe-
tence were also explored. The results of the qualitative
interviews with parents and children reflected three pri-
mary therapeutic process variables: (1) positive social
experience, (2) assessment process, and (3) ‘in the
moment’ feedback from therapists to encourage risk-taking

56. and support learning.
864 J Child Fam Stud (2016) 25:856–869
123
Parents and children reported that the social competence
groups were fun and enjoyable, and this helped children
who may have had negative social experiences in the past
to take the risk to come to group. They were engaged and
were able to participate in new activities.
All children and parents reported that they would return
to the group for another session if it was offered and would
recommend it to other children. One parent noted, ‘‘She
seemed happy every time she came out of the room. You
know, a big smile on her face.’’ Similarly, another parent
stated, ‘‘She had a good time. She enjoyed coming. There
was no resistance.’’ Another reported, ‘‘Well, every time
that she would come out she would be bouncing and pos-
itive.’’ The perspective shared by children in the groups

57. also emphasized the positive and fun nature of group. For
example, comments included ‘‘The girls were nice and we
played fun games’’ and ‘‘the games made it fun.’’ ‘‘Can’t
wait [to attend another SC group series].’’
Having the opportunity to make friends was important to
many of the children with whom we spoke. For example,
one child reported ‘‘Well, I made some new friends and I
hadn’t made friends in a while because I’ve had a couple of
bullying problems at school. I tend to be the one who is
picked on the most out of my class.’’ Parents reported that
being with children with similar challenges in a supportive
environment was important to their child’s success. For
example, one parent noted, ‘‘[Children’s mental health
center] has been good for [my daughter] to understand that
she’s not the only one and that we all have something to
work on.’’ Another parent emphasized the importance of
comfort with other children for engaging in social risk-
taking. ‘‘He has to feel very comfortable and confident with

58. whomever he’s with to put himself out on that limb
because it is a risk for him.’’
Overall, parents and children liked the pre-group
assessment process and referred to it as ‘‘good practice’’
before the actual group. Parents reported that leaders were
responsive, knowledgeable, and realistic about LDs. It
seemed to be ‘‘grounded in the reality’’ of LD ? MH. One
parent noted about the assessment process ‘‘You can’t just
say it’s a social competency group and here are five girls.
Not everyone needs the same social competencies. And so
while one person needs to learn to [be quiet], another
person may need to learn to talk.’’ Similarly, another parent
noted being pleased that it was ‘‘Ok if it takes a while to
find the words to express yourself.’’
Scaffolding children so that they had to be present with
challenges and not avoid by withdrawing or acting out was
also noted as being an important process. Providing ‘in the
moment feedback’ when challenges arose in the context of

59. naturally occurring social dynamics allowed group leaders
to create ‘‘teachable moments’’ and gently correct mis-
perceptions or scaffold the child in trying out new ways of
interacting. For example, one parent commented: ‘‘I think
it was great for her to, in a very supportive environment, go
through struggles and learn from those and then be able to
try again, and to do all of those things in that very safe
environment and structure. There’s lots of help there…
Here’s a teachable moment and we’re going to do this.’’
Another parent noted, ‘‘She was able to do things like step
up to be the leader, step back to let others lead and then to
get the very quick positive feedback, like very quick bio
feedback from the group, and that’s what she needs.’’
Children similarly reported that experiencing challenges in
the group was helpful. For example, ‘‘now that I faced
some challenges with the group, it’s easier to ignore people
for some reason. I’ve gotten better at doing it with my
brother.’’
Parents and children also provided recommendations for

60. future groups. They noted that change takes time and that
longer and a greater number of sessions would be helpful.
For example, one parent reported, ‘‘I think she was just
kind of getting into it and then it was done.’’ Parents also
requested more feedback about the groups so that they
know about progress being made and how to help their
child outside of group. For example, ‘‘If there’s something
they [the leaders] noticed in a session, maybe they could
talk to the parent about it.’’
Discussion
Children with LD ? MH are at increased risk for chal-
lenges in social functioning. The present study evaluated
the effectiveness of the Integra Social Competence Group
program, an intervention aimed at ameliorating social
competence in youth with LD ? MH using activities tai-
lored to their specific information processing and emotion
regulation deficits. Using mixed methods, this study
examined social competence both within the group context

61. (using observational methods) and outside of the group
process to examine gains made and the generalization of
outcomes to home and school settings. Overall, findings
suggest that participating youth and their families benefit-
ted from the program, as evidenced by both group obser-
vations and parent- and child-report.
From a group process perspective, levels of engagement
in the group sessions was observed to be high throughout
treatment, suggesting that the program was acceptable,
engaging, and implemented at a level that supported chil-
dren. Relatedly, the level of social competence challenge in
the context of the assessment was also lower than parent
report levels. Specifically, while 75 % of parents reported
significant social competence challenges, only 30 % of
children were assessed to be of low social competence,
with the remaining 70 % exhibiting medium levels of
J Child Fam Stud (2016) 25:856–869 865
123

62. social competence. This difference may reflect character-
istics of the group environment (e.g., structure, support,
safety) that allow children to engage more fully and to
exhibit their social strengths that may be less prevalent in
school or community settings.
Further, children were observed to improve their goal-
directed (or on-task) initiation from the beginning to the
end of treatment. For example, children made more
attempts to interact positively with a peer or leader without
being prompted, such as asking questions or making sug-
gestions for the group. Importantly, increases in initiation
were not limited to the group context, but were observed by
parents in contexts outside of the group, in the form of
increased parent-rated social assertion and engagement in
social interactions. Importantly, effect sizes associated with
these outcomes were in the upper end of the small or
moderate range in terms of strength and larger than pre-

63. vious outcomes which have been small in strength (Forness
and Kavale 1996; Kavale and Mostert 2004). Similarly,
qualitative interviews with both parents and children
highlighted that children improved in their abilities to share
thoughts and feelings, initiate conversation, engage in peer
interaction, and appropriately engage in solving problems
in relationships. Such changes in engagement and initiation
are noteworthy given that children with LD ? MH show a
greater tendency to withdraw from social interactions and
report greater feelings of sadness related to social interac-
tions (Semrud-Clikeman et al. 2010). Remaining present
rather than engaging in patterns of avoidance (fight or
flight) sets an essential foundation that enables children to
practice social skills and develop a sense of competence.
Qualitative interviews with parents and children sug-
gested that the high rates of engagement, improved prob-
lem-solving, and initiation were supported by ‘in the
moment’ coaching and feedback from therapists. Children

64. and parents noted that they had to engage in skills that were
hard for them but were able to do this with the support of
the group leader and then generalize this to social inter-
actions outside of the group with peers and siblings.
‘In the moment’ feedback served to help children to
become aware of their behavior and to correctly interpret
social-emotional information, which are considered key
skills associated with social competence (McKown et al.
2009). Parents, however, noted that they would benefit
from more session-by-session feedback so that they were
able to provide ‘in the moment’ feedback to their children
and support their social skills. This recommendation has
now been incorporated into the SC Group program.
Interestingly, despite above average levels of internal-
izing and externalizing behavior problems at baseline in
75 % of the participants, the occurrence of negative
behaviors during the SC groups was low throughout
treatment, regardless of initial level of emotion regulation.

65. This is an important finding because it highlights that
taking emotion regulation into consideration when deter-
mining child placement, group composition, and size can
support emotional and behavioral regulation, enhancing
opportunities for skill- and relationship-building within the
group setting. Further, results suggest that while the SC
Group program does not directly target emotion regulation
as an outcome, there is indirect benefit in fostering higher
levels of regulation, at least within the SC group process. It
may be that children who are in SC groups that are tailored
to their emotion regulation needs may be able to focus
more on skills development and less on behavior man-
agement of group dynamics. Having a safe foundation that
supports emotion regulation may set the stage for learning
and implementing social skills, thus promoting adaptive
social interactions (Dollar and Stifter 2012). These results
are also consistent with previous research that underscores
the contribution of emotion regulation to social compe-

66. tence (Bauminger et al. 2005; Rydell et al. 2007) and the
potential role of emotion regulation in mediating negative
social behaviors (Dollar and Stifter 2012).
Similar to other intervention studies of social compe-
tence, the current study showed mixed results with regard
to generalizability (Forness and Kavale 1996; Greenberg
et al. 2001; Maag 2006; Schneider et al. 1992). Parents
reported significant gains in social competence from pre- to
post-treatment, with significant gains in overall social skills
and in social skills that are considered to have the highest
association with school success (i.e., Top Ten on SSIS
including following rules, paying attention to instructions,
turn-taking, interacting well with children, showing con-
cern for others, tolerating annoying behavior, and manag-
ing disagreements). Gains were also noted in engagement
and assertion from pre- to post-intervention, results that
mirror the observational outcomes observed in the context
of the SC groups. Qualitative responses of parents, chil-

67. dren, and some teachers also supported the effectiveness of
the group, suggesting gains in child social self-concept and
initiation in and outside of the group.
In contrast, while positive gains were noted by teachers
in the qualitative interviews, there were no significant
changes in scores on teacher ratings of the SSIS. In part,
this may reflect situational context for the observation of
gains in pro-social behaviors. Teachers may be more likely
to notice aggressive, disruptive, and distractible behaviors
with peers, particularly when the behaviors compete with
attention to instruction and school tasks (Blandon et al.
2010). Moreover, the classroom setting in particular has
been described as ‘‘multifaceted and multi-situational’’
(Goodwin 1999). Lack of social competence can be exac-
erbated by situational factors in the classroom that may not
exist in other situations, such as home (Musser et al. 2001;
Wight and Chapparo 2008) or the SC group setting. Given
866 J Child Fam Stud (2016) 25:856–869

68. 123
the mixed nature of the results reported by teachers, further
investigation of the generalizability of the skills learned in
the SC Group program is warranted. Similarly, it may be
fruitful for future research to study social competence in
children with LDs across a variety of settings (e.g., school,
community) to better understand the processes that support
or hinder the development of social competence across
contexts.
It is interesting to note that teacher interviews suggested
that when the classroom setting was most similar to the
group setting and embodied some of the characteristics
described by children and parents as important (e.g.,
structured, safe, ‘in the moment’ feedback, small class
size), more positive gains were seen. In particular, the
children whose teachers reported social competence gains
during interviews were all enrolled in specialized class-

69. rooms, with a smaller class size, increased structure and
predictability, and accommodation for the processing and
academic challenges associated with the child’s specific
LD. This finding is consistent with research by Kiuru et al.
(2012) who found that smaller class size offered a pro-
tective factor against peer rejection. Results suggest that
supportive and safe classrooms may function as a moder-
ator for the promotion of generalization of social compe-
tence from the treatment setting to the school setting. This
is an area for future research and may be an important
avenue for enhancing generalization of skills to the school
setting.
Another factor that may impact on outcomes as well as
the potential for generalizability is time in treatment. Par-
ents and children noted that they had made gains, but that
more treatment was needed to reach their social compe-
tence goals. This is consistent with Kavale and Mostert’s
(2004) critical review of social competence programs for

70. children with LD that suggests that 10 weeks of treatment
may not be enough to improve social skills challenges that
have been longstanding. Similar to learning, more practice
and repetition across different setting characteristics and
partners may be needed to better internalize and generalize
skills.
The current study provides preliminary within-partici-
pant support for the effectiveness of the SC Group pro-
gram. However, further controlled research by independent
researchers is needed to better understand the impact of the
program and child characteristics that may moderate out-
comes. More specifically, research using a randomized
group design is needed that compares the SC Group pro-
gram and its tailoring process to a social competence group
program that does not employ this tailoring approach. A
larger sample is also required to increase statistical power
and to more fully explore moderators of change, such as
gender, presence of internalizing and externalizing behav-

71. ior challenges, emotion regulation ability, type of LD, level
of cognitive ability, and type of group. Finally, follow-up
assessment to explore the sustainability of gains made, as
well as behavioral observation to examine generalization to
settings such as the classroom or home would increase our
understanding of the impact of the intervention on the
child’s daily living. Further qualitative research with a
larger sample of parents, children, and teachers is also
warranted, given the small sample included in this study
and that those included may have been biased due to self-
selection or case manager selection. This would provide a
more balanced representation of the different types of
social competence groups.
Social competence is an important predictor of future
well-being (Holopainen et al. 2012). Children with LDs
and impairments in emotion regulation have more diffi-
culty than typically-developing youth in acquiring social
competence. Results of this study suggest that improve-

72. ments in initiating, taking social risks, and engaging suc-
cessfully in conversations can be achieved by applying a
multi-dimensional view of social competence that addres-
ses three key areas: skills (i.e., behavioral, social-cognitive,
and social emotional depending on the specific needs of the
child and group as a whole); emotion regulation abilities
(provision of ‘in the moment’ feedback); and environ-
mental factors (e.g., by adapting amount of structure, group
size and composition based on skills and emotion regula-
tion abilities). These elements are all critical components
of socially competent behavior. Providing children with
LD ? MH with a positive and engaging structured social
experience may change their trajectory of social compe-
tence development from a negative spiral of withdrawal
and social isolation into empowerment and engagement.
This may enable children to more effectively stand up for
themselves or others, ask for help, and express their feel-
ings when wronged, thereby decreasing risk of victimiza-

73. tion and placing them on more positive trajectories of
social functioning and mental health.
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90. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further
reproduction prohibited without
permission.
c.10826_2015_Article_278.pdfTailoring Social Competence
Interventions for Children with Learning
DisabilitiesAbstractIntroductionMethodParticipantsProcedureM
easuresSocial Skills Improvement System Rating Scales (SSIS;
Gresham and Elliott 2008)Coding of Social Competence
BehaviorsQualitative InterviewsResultsQualitative
InterviewsDiscussionReferences
On Liberty, John Stuart Mill gives an extended argument about
the importance of Freedom of Speech (i.e., “liberty of thought
and discussion”).
In a formal argumentative essay:
1. Explain the moral foundation of Mill’s arguments about
government.
2. Explain Mill’s argument in support of liberty of thought and
discussion. (Be sure to discuss both “branches” of his
argument).
3. Finally, discuss whether or not you think that Freedom of
Speech is important, including what role you think the
government should have, if any, in supporting Freedom of
Speech. Be sure to give an argument in favor of your position.
(A useful strategy for this section might be to comment on
and/or criticize some part of Mill’s argument.)
Keywords: utilitarianism | the harm principle | assumption of
infallibility | dead dogma
In responding to the prompt above, pay attention to the
following instructions:
· Please include your name and a word count along with your
essay.

91. · Please include your Unit 2 Pre-Write assignment along with
your essay. This should not be included in your word count.
· The essay should be approximately 650-975 words.
· Your essay must include a clear argumentative main claim.
This claim must be underlined in your essay. For example, you
might state:
· “In this essay, I will argue that freedom of speech is important
because it is the best way to maximize utility. Further, I will
argue that government should take active measures to protect
freedom of speech.”
· You must include every key word in your essay. These terms
must be written in bold in the text. (These key words are also
terms you should describe clearly in your own words).
· If you include any quotations or paraphrasing, be sure to cite.
If you cite from an assigned text, author and page number
information is sufficient. If you cite from any external source,
you must provide full bibliographic information. (Note that you
are not required to include quotations.)
Justin
Writing 121
Sarah
Artifact Analysis First Draft
A Message from Your Body
The clip “A Message from Your Body” is complaining how our
body has always been treated with less care. Comparing itself to
a one million horse who you will never allow it to smoke or
even eat junk food. Even twenty dollars dog or a two dollars cat
will never get the same treatment. However, with the ambitions
to become more successful than a person usually does, of†en
sacrifice their well-being for money. It is true and sees when a
person spends most of the time working and most of the
smokers who smoke and destroys their bodies. Also, the alcohol

92. drinkers consume most of their evening times in a pub after a
tedious day to get lose from the stress after a long day; the same
excuse as the smoker. They, later on, drink more alcohol and
harms their bodies with excessive consumption of alcohol. In
the process, they waste their precious bodies as throughout the
process their bodies wear out keeping in mind that the bodies
have no repairs like other machines.
How you treat your body badly will for sure bring in some
dramatic changes to you because, after some period of time with
smoking and excessive use of alcohol, the body will then wears
it out. The main reason for this is that you forget to treat it well
during the time of need but instead, the junk food is given to it,
smoking it out and excessive alcohol drinking is what it
receives. With all harms, it will not take much anymore but will
merely break down and will need money to recuperate it again.
The worth of the body is more billion dollars; it’s the value
cannot be weighed in the scale of dollars and cents. Taking care
of our bodies, which are the primary purpose of our existence.
The video asks if you could take a million dollars in exchange
for the eyesight, for the arms or your limbs. The answer will
always be no, it is because no one will like to lose any part of
their body; no one would take a million dollars and in an
exchange with not able to see the gorgeous sunlight in rest of
their life. Everyone believes that their bodies are so precious
and they don’t want to miss them. Losing any part of the body
for any cost will never be the dream of any person, and they
will hope to have their bodies up to the end of their time.
Therefore, we should act like it, take care of it and stop
destroying it.
The whole chip use personification to describe your body as a
person writing a letter to you. It complains that you will always
try to make yourself look perfect when you are taking a picture
that will be posted on the social media. You will try to make it
look perfect, but during other time, you do not care about your
body but taking it for granted and not even saying thanks or be
grateful for your body. It ironic when the author told us to take

93. time to thank all your body as one. Seems like we never really
cherish what our body and what it has done for us, which is
true. For the good things that have done for you, it is time to sit
back and thank your every part of your body. This is the best
moment that you should start treating it well so that you won’t
pay back in your later life.
The clip directs you to place your hands on the chest, listens to
your heartbeats, and remembers to say thank you to your heart
beats. You then look to every other part; arms you use for
climbing, lungs that are helpful in breathing, head for the
memory storage, and every other part that are useful for daily
activities. It is time to treat your body what it worth. You know
how precious the body is and it worth much. In the clip, we see
a woman running and having the training attire that merely
shows how we should treat our bodies with much appreciation.
We should go for training to strengthen and maintain fit our
bodies. We should take our bodies as the most crucial thing
more than any other thing.
The tone of the speaker is serious and sad in how it receives its
treatment. It tones reflects its sad moods of a great unfairness
where a person uses it to make money and instead of giving the
excellent care of it is mistreated by excessive alcohol and
smoke. The voice of the speaker can also tell the feeling
according to the sentence structure, and imagery shows a real
tone. The words are chosen in a moderate tone but sound
heavier and have more weights and say more about the feeling
of the speaker asking for better care that it deserves.
In conclusion, our bodies are the most critical asset in our life;
it's our everything. “We are what we eat”, we have the
responsibility of taking care of it. In that matter, we should
always take some time every day to appreciate what our bodies
are capable of doing. We do what we have to do because of our
bodies.

94. Running head: EVALUATION OF A QUALITATIVE STUDY
1
EVALUATION OF A QUALITATIVE STUDY
9
Evaluation of a Qualitative Study
First and Last Name
Capella University
Evaluation of a Qualitative Study
For this assignment you will locate an article from the peer-
reviewed scholarly journals in your field using one of the
databases available in the Capella University Library. This
assignment should be between 4 and 6 pages in length, double-
spaced using 12-point Times New Roman font, not counting the
title page and reference section.
You will notice the running head contains the words “evaluation
of a quantitative study” and it is presented in all capitals. Also,
notice that the words “running head” appear only on the first
page and just the running head itself appears on subsequent
pages.
Next, notice that the title on the second page above is centered
and capitalized but it is not in bold. This follows the example
on page 42 of the APA Manual and also a second example found
on page 54. Below you will notice that headings have been
provided for this assignment. They follow the protocols for
formatting level one and two headings found on page 62 and the
example presented on page 58 of the APA Manual. It is sound
practice to consult the APA Manual for formatting guidance.
In the section immediately under the title, you are to provide a