Peer-Mediated Social Skill Instruction for African American Males with or at Risk for Mild Disabilities

Abstract

Disproportionality of African American males in special education and for disciplinary referrals has persisted for several decades. Culturally responsive social skill instruction, designed to teach critical skills and to involve peers from the learners' cultural group, can serve as a means to promote the overall social competence of African American males. This study examined the effects of a peer-mediated social skill instruction program on (a) the skill knowledge of classroom-related and aggression-resolution social skills and (b) the inappropriate classroom behaviors of seven African American males with or at risk for mild disabilities. Using a multiple probe across instructional groups design, we demonstrated that all participants clearly improved their response accuracy on specific social skill knowledge probes when corresponding social skills were taught by peers. Further, six participants reduced their inappropriate classroom behaviors during social skill instruction implementation. Results are discussed in relation to the importance of culturally responsive social skill instruction for African American males.

Notes

This project is partially funded by the Spencer Foundation Research Grants (#20080320) and the UNC Charlotte Department of Special Education and Child Development Research Fund Grants.

¹Ethan was referred to special education because of his internalizing behaviors and met criteria for having an emotional/behavioral disability according to the state guidelines at the beginning of the year but was not placed due to parents' refusal.

¹1 = not at all important, 2 = not important, 3 = important, 4 = very important; ²1 = no improvement, 2 = a little improvement, 3 = much improvement, 4 = very much improvement.