Social Skills Interview

PROJECT GATORSS
Social Skills Interview
Child’s name __________________________ Age ____________ Sex: M F
Date of Interview _______________________
Interviewer ________________________
Respondent/ Relationship to child ________________________________________________
Placement Type ______________________________________________________________
A. Communication strategies
1. Describe specific communication strategies (appropriate and inappropriate) used by the
child (e.g., vocal speech, signs/gestures, communication boards/books, or disruptive
behaviors).
2. How consistently does the child use these communication strategies during social
interaction opportunities with peers?
3. How does the child respond to complex (2-3 step directions) vs. simple (one step)
directions?
B. Current social behavior
1. For each social behavior, define the topography (i.e., what it looks like) and the frequency
(i.e., how often the child engages in the behavior). Include both appropriate and inappropriate
social behaviors (e.g., positive initiations to peers/adults, negative initiations or responses to
peers/adults, such as yelling, taking toys without asking), and behaviors that are likely to lead to
Revised 7/8/03

p. 2
social interactions such as observing peers’ play, responses to others social initiations. Also
indicate the times/activities in which the child is most likely to display these behaviors.
a. Appropriate social behaviors (e.g., may include gestures, verbal initiations, sharing play
materials, may include passive acceptance, verbal gestures, walking away from peer)
Behavior
Time/Activity
1. _________________________________ ______________________________
2. _________________________________ ______________________________
3. _________________________________ ______________________________
b. Inappropriate social behaviors (e.g., external may include aggression, taking toys,
crying, tantrums, stereotypy; internal may include failure to approach peers who are
socially interacting or no response to peer initiations).
External behaviors
Internal (withdrawn) behaviors
1. _________________________________ ______________________________
2. _________________________________ ______________________________
3. _________________________________ ______________________________
c. Does the child often engage in the same type of play over and over (e.g., with peers, with
materials)? If so, identify the activities that promote different types of play behaviors (i.e.,
cooperative or associative)
d. What medical or physical conditions (if any) does the child have that may affect his or her
social behaviors (e.g., physical impairments, current medications)?

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e. Does the child’s social behaviors/interaction skills remain constant or change depending
on the activities? If it changes based on activity, identify which activities increase or
decrease likelihood of social behaviors.
Increase:
Decrease:
C. Schedule of Social Interaction Opportunities
1. Identify social times and activities (or situational factors) listed below (see project staff
for definition of activities/situational factors) when the child has access to socially
competent peers.
Times/Activities
Dance/Music
Computer
Art
Cognitive Skills (matching, color identif.)
Sensory/water play
Pretend/Sociodramatic play
Outdoor play
Manipulatives/blocks
Book Center

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Situational Factors
1:1 with peer
Small group of peers (2-3 total)
Large group of peers (4 or more total)
Child directed activity
Adult directed activity
Adult engaged in activity
Adult not engaged in activity
2. Are there specific materials that increase appropriate social interactions or increase the
likelihood of problem behaviors/decreased social interactions? If so, please list them
below and describe how they influence social behaviors.
Most Likely:
Least Likely:
3. Does the child have the opportunity to make choices about engaging in social interactions
(i.e., with whom, what activities, etc.)? If so, when and how often and what activities are
typically selected? Does the child typically choose to engage with peers or adults?

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4. Are there other peer characteristics that make a difference in the child’s display of
appropriate/inappropriate social behaviors (e.g., playing with same gender peers, familiar
peers, older peers, younger peers, more verbal peers)?
D. Antecedent events that predict when the child is most likely and least likely to engage in
appropriate and inappropriate social behavior.
1. With whom is the child most and least likely to interact (include adults and peers and
identify by name)?
Most Likely:
Least Likely:
2. Rate on a scale of 1 (not at all likely) to 5 (highly likely to occur) the likelihood of the
child engaging in an appropriate social interaction due to one of the following:
Not at all likely Highly likely
a. If a peer initiates the interaction? 1 2 3 4 5
b. If a peer responds to his/her initiation? 1 2 3 4 5
c. If an adult actively helps the child get engaged in play with a 1 2 3 4 5
peer(s)?
d. If the adult simply tells the child or peers to play with one 1 2 3 4 5
another?
e. If adult plans activity and child follows through and does 1 2 3 4 5
activity?
f. Target child is in a large group (more than 6 children) of 1 2 3 4 5
peers playing?
g. Target child is in a small group (less than 6 children) of 1 2 3 4 5
peers playing?
h. If the adult directs the activity? 1 2 3 4 5
i. If the child directs the activity? 1 2 3 4 5
j. If the adult is present and participating in the play activity? 1 2 3 4 5

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k. If the adult is absent and disengaged from the play activity? 1 2 3 4 5
l. If the peers playing are the same gender as the target child? 1 2 3 4 5
3. Rate on a scale of 1 (not at all likely) to 5 (highly likely to occur) the likelihood of the
child engaging in an inappropriate social interaction due to one of the following:
Not at all likely
Highly likely
a. If a peer initiates the interaction? 1 2 3 4 5
b. If a peer responds to his/her initiation? 1 2 3 4 5
c. If an adult actively helps the child get engaged in play with a
peer(s)?
d. If the adult simply tells the child or peers to play with one
another?
e. If adult plans activity and child follows through and does
activity?
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
f. Target child is in a large group (more than 6 children) of 1 2 3 4 5
peers playing?
g. Target child is in a small group (less than 6 children) of 1 2 3 4 5
peers playing?
h. If the adult directs the activity? 1 2 3 4 5
i. If the child directs the activity? 1 2 3 4 5
j. If the adult is present and participating in the play activity? 1 2 3 4 5
k. If the adult is absent and disengaged from the play activity? 1 2 3 4 5
l. If the peers playing are the same gender as the target child? 1 2 3 4 5
4. Are there particular idiosyncratic situations or events not listed above that may increase
or decrease the occurrence of appropriate and inappropriate social interactions (e.g.,
presence or absence of certain peers, types of directions, transitions, presence or absence
of certain toys)?
Increase:
Decrease:

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5. What one thing could you or do you do or could happen that would most likely encourage
Encourage:
or discourage the child to positively interact with peers?
Discourage:
E. Identification of consequences or perceived outcomes of appropriate and inappropriate social
behaviors (i.e., the functions the behaviors serve for that child in particular situations).
1. What do you think the child obtains from social interactions, whether appropriate or
inappropriate (i.e., peer/adult attention, self reinforcement, play materials, etc.)?
2. What do think the child escapes if s/he chooses to not engage in social interactions (i.e.,
peer/adult attention, activity, situation, etc.)?
3. Do appropriate or inappropriate social initiations result in successful outcomes for the
child (i.e., does s/he obtain attention or tangibles)?
F. Description of interventions to use or avoid in working with and supporting this child during
social situations.
1. What strategies used in the past have been successful at improving the child’s social
interactions?

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2. What things should be avoided that might interfere with or disrupt a social situation with
this child (such as particular adult demands, crowded situation, noisy toys, lights etc.)?
3. What strategies are you currently using to promote appropriate social behaviors?
4. What strategies are you currently using to decrease inappropriate social behaviors?
5. How much does adult proximity predict the child’s engagement in social interactions?
Adult in proximity:
Adult not in proximity:
G. Questions Related to Restricted Interests
1. Often times, children with autism have particular objects, items, or topics that they are
preoccupied with. We are trying to gather information to see if the child has any interests
like this. Does the child frequently and repeatedly engage with a specific object or item
(e.g., Disney characters, a certain color), and/or want to discuss a particular topic for long
periods of time? If so, please list the object or items and describe the child’s behavior
with that object, item, or topic.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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2. Will s/he allow peers to play with that object or item, or talk with peers about the topic of
interest?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Does the child become upset or frustrated if others want to play with the same object or
join in the conversation about the topic?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________