SOCIAL SKILLS DEFICITS AND PSYCHOSOCIAL PROBLEMS - ANTECEDENT, CONCOMITANT, OR CONSEQUENT

This study sought to determine whether social skills deficits are antecedents, concomitants, or consequences of psychosocial problems. In the first week of the semester, 406 students completed measures of various components of social skills, and the following psychosocial problems: depression, loneliness, substance abuse, and poor academic performance. Four months later students again filled out these same measures. The results suggest that social skills deficits are correlates of depression and loneliness, but not poor academic performance or substance abuse. Deficits in social skills do not appear to be either antecedents or consequences of any of the psychosocial problems investigated in this study. Explanations for the observed relationship between social skills deficits and psychosocial problems as well as considerations for future research are discussed.