Author(s): Thacker S

Abstract:
Social skills are those skills that allow appropriate social interaction with others. They are based on a set of verbal and non-verbal behavior, standards, derived from once specific society or culture. Social skills and the ability to assert are essential for children and adolescents. They are confronted daily with situations that call for social interaction. When children do not function competently in interactive situations they are noticed, singled out, or suffer social ostracism and humiliation. Behaviour which interferes with one's adjustment to life and makes one happy now and later can be called problem behaviour. Playmates and friends play a significant role in children's development, but so too can brothers and sisters. Siblings play a distinct role in socialization, different from those with parents or peers. Thus, the main aim of the present study was to investigate the problem behaviour in social skills with or without siblings of age 8 – 12 years. The effective sample of the study comprised of 150 children which included 75 with siblings and 75 without siblings in the age group of 8-12 years by using stratified random sampling. The educational level was from 3rd to 6th standard. The children were from middle socio-economic status. Data was collected using Social Skills Problem Behaviour Checklist by Madhu Mathur and Saroj Aurora. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study revealed that children with siblings are superior in attitude towards other children as well as towards adults as compared to children without siblings.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/23957476.2024.v10.i1e.1588