ABSTRACT
Since the mid-1970s, researchers addressed critical issues related to the social competence of children and adolescents. Today, the importance of social assessment and interventions for at-risk populations has been recognized (e.g., Parker & Asher, 1987). For example, studies examined the social development of individuals with learning disabilities (LD) relative to normal developmental patterns (e.g., Vaughn, Haager, Hogan, & Kouzekanani, 1992) and the extent to which within-individual differences occur over time (Vaughn & Hogan, 1994). The converging research showed that compared to typically achieving, nondisabled peers, students with LD exhibit greater social difficulties (for review, see Hazel & Schumaker, 1988; Pearl, Donahue, & Bryan, 1986).
