ABSTRACT
The concept of competence is especially important in studying and working with "high-risk" youth, where there is reason to believe that optimal growth is threatened. A focus on competence requires moving beyond just the consideration of individual characteristics and symptoms to an analysis of how these symptoms and characteristics interact with environmental conditions to determine the quality of adaptive functioning. During adolescence, relationships with peers, functioning at school, and involvement in hobbies, interests, and activities seem to be relevant areas of study. The chapter explores the data from the Family Interaction Project to illustrate the relationship between behavior problems and social competence as measured by academic performance, involvement in activities, and relationships with others; and the relationship between parenting behavior and competence. While the cross-sectional nature of the study precludes conclusions about cause and effect, the results can be integrated with previous findings to illustrate the importance of assessing social competence and its implications for intervention and further study.
