Testimonials on Social Skills DVDs

Reinforcing Social Skills

Giving feedback for good behavior helps shape the appropriate social skill. Using positive feedback is a means of reinforcing appropriate social skills in children. The reward might be something physical, such as a toy, a favorite activity, or social praise such as "good job." Catching the child engaging in the desired social behavior is the key.

Try to have the reward match the behavior. For example, use lesser reinforcement for skills that are easier for the particular child. If the child engages in a skill that is known to be difficult for her, use a greater reinforcer.

The theory is that rewarding a particular behavior will lead to that behavior being repeated. So, if it is a behavior you would like to see more of, that is the behavior to reinforce.