The impact of assessment procedures on the relationship between paper and pencil and behavioral indicators of social skill

This study investigated the relationship between paper and pencil measures and molecular behavioral indicators of social skills in three widely used assessment options. A total of 221 students engaged in either a "get acquainted" or "role play" interaction, in which they were given instructions and knew they were being observed. A third group engaged in a "waiting period" interaction, in which they were given no instructions to interact and had no knowledge of being observed. Results showed that subjects in the "get acquainted" and "role play" situations scored higher on several measures of social skills than those in the "waiting period" situation. In addition, there was most variability in the measures of social skills in the waiting period situation. In general, trait measures exhibited poor correspondence with behavioral measures of social skills in all situations. However, state paper and pencil measures of social skills exhibited strong correspondence with behaviors in the waiting period, but not in the get acquainted or role play situations. Implications for the assessment of social communication skills through commonly used assessment procedures are discussed.