S. MOMENI ET AL.
Table 2.
Results of significance test of multi-variant variance analysis of emotional and social competence marks in both test and control groups.
Total squares df Means of squa res
Variable Group Error Total Group Error Total Group Error Total F Significance
level
Emotional competence 18.22 140.15 209 1 38 40 18.22 3.68 - 4.94 .03
Cognitive skill 172.22601.55 775 1 38 40 172.2215.83 - 11 <.002
Motivation 128.227934.55 14675 1 38 40 1288.22- - 6.17 <.018
Expectation 122.5 183.4 546 1 38 40 122.5 5 - 25.38 <.001
The results of the current study are consistent with many pre-
vious studies on the intervention in social and emotional com-
petence among students with learning disability, so that Hazel
(1982) increased behavior level by selecting educational me-
thod in small groups of students with learning disability. La
Greca (1981) noted that the social skills were well elevated
after 6-week training in children with learning disability.
After social competence training, Larson and Gerber (1987)
reported that the groups with learning disability were not more
successful in improving their behavior than groups without this
disability. In his training interventions towards social skills
training to children with learning disability, Merz (1985) ob-
served no significant curing effect on social interactions and
communication. However, in his training interventions on chil-
dren with learning disability, Northcutt (1987) although ob-
served improvements in behavior, they were not significant. In
his study on social skills training, Nabors (2000) observed the
mitigation of aggression and depression and improvement of
self-confidence, adaptation skills and responsibility. According
to Turner et al. (2002), life skills training can improve children
social supports. Also, Jeffery (2002) reported that life skills
training can reduce stress and anxiety. According to Hajamini
et al. (1999), life skills training obviate stress, anxiety and emo-
tional responses among teenagers. Considering the effects of
life skill training on the improvement of social and emotional
competence among children with mathematics learning disabil-
ity and its positive effects observed in other studies, it is neces-
sary for training centers of children with learning disability to
plan and conduct social life skills at elementary level in accor-
dance with WHO recommendations as well as cultural and
environmental structure of the society because according to
Hontington (1993), ignoring life skills training to the students
with learning disability can put them in the risk of suicide and
depression at older ages.
One limitation of the study included the lack of social skills
training programs with standard content, so that different train-
ing contents and methods have been used for social skills train-
ing in previous studies. Another limitation was the impossibil-
ity of studying the long-term results such as significant changes
in health and social behaviors, the permanence of produced
changes and the improvement in education career. So, it is
suggested to use wider samples and longer periods in future
studies in order to study medium and long-term effects as well
as the permanence of produced changes.
Acknowledgements
I should gratefully appreciate Ardabil Disabled Education
and Training Organization and the principal of Ardabil Learn-
ing Disabled Elementary School for their kind helps in provid-
ing the space required for the research.
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