This popular manual presents an empirically tested format and ready-made curricula for skills training groups in a range of settings. Part I takes therapists and counselors step by step through assessing clients' existing skills, teaching new skills, and managing common treatment challenges. Part II comprises over 60 ready-to-photocopy skill sheets. Each sheet--essentially a complete lesson plan--explains the rationale for the skill at hand, breaks it down into smaller steps, suggests role-play scenarios, and highlights special considerations. Of special value for practitioners, the 8 1/2" x 11" format makes it easy to reproduce and use the practical materials in the book.

This unique manual presents cognitive-behavioral social skills training (CBSST), a step-by-step, empirically supported intervention that helps clients with schizophrenia achieve recovery goals related to living, learning, working, and socializing. CBSST interweaves three evidence-based practices--cognitive-behavioral therapy, social skills training, and problem-solving training--and can be delivered in individual or group contexts. Highly user friendly, the manual includes provider scripts, teaching tools, and engaging exercises and activities. Reproducible consumer workbooks for each module include skills summaries and worksheets. The large-size format facilitates photocopying; purchasers also get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible materials. Listed in SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices

In a large-size format for easy photocopying, this manual presents an empirically tested format and ready-made curricula for skills training groups in a range of settings. Part I takes therapists and counselors step by step through assessing clients' existing skills, teaching new skills, and managing common treatment challenges. Part II comprises over 60 skill sheets. Each sheet--essentially a complete lesson plan--explains the rationale for the skill at hand, breaks it down into smaller steps, suggests role-play scenarios, and highlights special considerations. Appendices include reproducible client handouts and assessment tools; purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print these materials for repeated use.

It is perhaps trite to refer to human beings as social animals, but never theless it is true. A substantial portion of our lives is spent in interactions with other people. Moreover, the nature, quality, and quantity of those interactions have a tremendous impact on behavior, mood, and the adequacy of adjustment. Faulty interpersonal relationship patterns have reliably been associated with a wide variety of behavioral-psychological dysfunctions ranging from simple loneliness to schizophrenia. Most "traditional" analyses of interpersonal failures have viewed them as consequences or by-products of other difficulties, such as anx iety, depression, intrapsychic conflict, or thought disorder. Con sequently, remediational efforts have rarely been directed to interper sonal behavior per se. Rather, it has been expected that interpersonal relationships would improve when the source disorder was eliminated. While this model does account for some interpersonal dysfunctions (e.g., social anxiety can inhibit interpersonal behavior), it is not adequate to account for the vast majority of interpersonal difficulties. In fact, in many cases those difficulties either are independent of or underlie other dysfunctions (e.g., repeated social failure may produce depression or social anxiety).

In this volume the application of the social skills training (SST) model to specific clinical conditions is discussed. Its uses with schizophrenia, social anxiety, depression, mental handicap, and substance abuse are reviewed in depth and practical recommendations for the future are given. Advances in social psychology and linguistics have implications for the future development of SST and their contributions to the field are presented in the final section.

Social skills are critical to psychological adjustment across the lifespan. These skills are necessary for attaining a variety of important social, emotional, and interpersonal goals. Social skill definits and resulting negative social interactions are associated with a wide variety of adjustment problems and psychological disorders. Social Skills across the Life Span: Theory is a comprehensive social skills volume providing in-depth coverage of theory, assessment, and intervention. Divided into three major sections, the volume begins with the definition of social competence, developmental factors, and relations to adjustment. This is followed by coverage of general assessment and intervention issues across the lifespan. In the third section, program developers describe specific evidence-based interventions. Identifies how social skills influence social competence and well being Addresses the full lifespan Reviews methods to assess and intervene with children and adults Details evidence-based interventions for children and adults

Impairments in social functioning are among the hallmark characteristics of schizophrenia. These deficits predict relapse rate and may be independent of better-studied symptoms such as hallucinations. Additionally, studies indicate that social functioning is one of the most important domains for individuals with schizophrenia, many of whom consider social functioning to be a key area of unmet need. Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) is a group psychotherapy for individuals with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Social cognition refers to the thinking processes that people use to navigate the social world. Deficits in social cognition hinder people with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses from living meaningful, socially connected lives. The SCIT Clinician Guide provides comprehensive instruction for mental health professionals to enhance social cognition and promote rewarding social lives for their clients. SCIT is appropriate for adults suffering from psychotic illness and who have interpersonal difficulties as a result. SCIT is particularly appropriate for individuals with symptoms of suspiciousness and paranoia. The authors summarize the rationale and theoretical underpinnings of SCIT, distinguish it from other treatments for psychosis, provide an overview of the intervention, explain the links between the intervention activities and the underlying theoretical model, and describe SCIT implementation session-by-session. SCIT is a 20- to 24-week group-based treatment that can be delivered by mental health clinicians of all levels in a wide range of community and hospital settings. SCIT uses exercises, games, discussion formats, and interactive social stimuli to target and improve specific areas of social cognitive dysfunction, and includes user-friendly tips and handouts for clients. It also provides web access to a library of videos, images and slide shows that are used to bring the SCIT training sessions to life.