EmpathicPivot

Breaks down complex learned performance behaviour, that is situational, into “constituent parts” (Yannawar, 2024, p. 177).

SST is an “assemblage of techniques” including cognitive and behavioural approaches (Yannawar, 2024, p. 177).

SST was developed by Liberman in the 1970s and using behaviour and cognitive therapy principles and techniques such as communication and assertiveness skills (Yannawar, 2024).

The theory of social competence developed by Zigler and Glick in 1986 proposes that a lack of competence in social functioning, caused by a deficit of social skills, could be the cause of mental health conditions rather than the other way around (Yannawar, 2024).

Learning theory is reflected in the use of observational learning, such as modelling and role-play, which much more readily enables the acquisition of social skills than “covert cognitions and emotions” (Uratani & Morimoto, 2025, p. 26).

Empowering for people lacking social competence, such as with autism or schizophrenia, to be able to live independent autonomous lives (Liberman et al., 2006).

Is a collaborative approach requiring a strong therapeutic and working relationship to enable successful modelling, role-play, feedback and shared-decision making (Liberman et al., 2006).

Social skills are the behaviours a person needs to have to be able to achieve social competence and have a “satisfactory quality of life” (Liberman et al, 2006, p. 12). SST focuses on the learnt responses to the “topographical features” (Uratani & Morimoto, 2025, p. 30), which Liberman et al. (2006) describe as the: 

“verbal, nonverbal, and paralinguistic behaviours; accurate social perception; effective processing of social information to make decisions and responses that conform to the normative, reasonable expectations of situations, and rules of society; assertiveness; conversational skills; skills related to management and stabilization of one’s mental disorder and expressions of empathy, affection, sadness, and other emotions that are appropriate to the context and expectations of others” (p. 12).

Techniques used are instruction, modelling, role-play, corrective feedback, reinforcement and homework (Yannawar, 2024). The process as outlined by Liberman et al. (2006) is:

1. ‘‘Problem identification’’ is made in collaboration with the patient in terms of obstacles that are barriers to a patient’s personal goals in his/her current life.

2. ‘‘Goal setting’’ generates short-term approximations to the patient’s personal goals with specification of the social behaviour that is required for successful attainment of the short-term, incremental goals. The goal-setting endeavour requires the therapist or trainer to elicit from the patient detailed descriptions of what communication skills are to be learned, with whom are they to be used, where, and when.

3. Through ‘‘role plays’’ or ‘‘behavioural rehearsal,’’ the patient demonstrates the verbal, nonverbal, and paralinguistic skills required for successful social interaction in the interpersonal situation set as the goal.

4. ‘‘Positive’’ and ‘‘corrective feedback’’ is given to the patient focused on the quality of the behaviours exhibited in the role play.

5. ‘‘Social modelling’’ is provided with a therapist or a peer demonstrating the desired interpersonal behaviours in a form that can be vicariously learned by the observing patient.

6. ‘‘Behavioural practice’’ by the patient is repeated until the communication reaches a level of quality tantamount to success in the real-life situation.

7. ‘‘Positive social reinforcement’’ is given contingent on those behavioural skills that showed improvement.

8. “Homework assignments’’ are given to motivate the patient to implement the communication in real-life situations.

9. ‘‘Positive reinforcement’’ and ‘‘problem solving’’ is provided at the next session based on the patient’s experience using the skills. (p. 13)

The practitioner is collaborator and trainer, participating in role-plays and modelling, providing feedback and setting homework (Liberman et al., 2006).

The person is collaborator and student tasked with learning behavioural skills through observational learning and being a participant in decision-making (Liberman et al., 2006).

For people lacking social and communication skills – developmental disabilities, autism, schizophrenia and anxiety, mood and personality disorders, and generally for rehabilitation from psychiatric conditions (Yannawar, 2024). Within this context SST could be applied for a range of skills that might be required for issues, such as: anger and conflict management, conversation, friendship, medication management or communal living (Yannawar, 2024).

Improved social competence leading to greater life-satisfaction and self-efficacy (Liberman et al., 2006).

Can be practiced by a wide range of people – teachers, therapists or others – in individual or group format (Yannawar, 2024). Improving social skills can be a protective factor in psychiatric rehabilitation enabling independent living (Liberman et al., 2006).

Requires support of family or friends to properly execute homework to enable the practicing of learned social skills on a “case-by-case basis to suit the situation” (Uratani & Morimoto, 2025, p. 31).

Liberman, R., Kopelowicz, A., & Zarate, R. (2006). Recent advances in social skills training for schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin 32(1), pp. 12-23. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbl023

Uratani, M., & Morimoto, T. (2025). Theory of social skills training (SST). In S. Nakamura (ed.), Multimodal Interaction Technologies for Training Affective Social Skills, (pp. 25-41). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-1313-7_3

Yannawar, P. (2024). Practicing social skills training in mental health. In M. Anand (Ed.), Mental health care resource book: Concepts and Praxis for Social Workers and Mental Health Professionals (pp. 175-187). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-1203-8