ABSTRACT
Social competence is a broad construct that represents a number of critical factors comprising (a) social skills, (b) relationships with others, including friendships and peer acceptance, (c) age-appropriate social cognitions, including self-concept, and (d) behaviors that suggest adjustment or the absence of behaviors associated with maladjustment (e.g., acting out, severe attention problems; Vaughn & Hogan, 1990). For students with learning disabilities (LD), two of these factorsself-concept and friendship-seem particularly important in that they provide insights as to how students perceive themselves and their closest relationships with individuals outside of their families.
