Conversational skills of inpatient conduct-disordered youths. Social validation of component behaviors and implications for skills training.

Researchers watched 30 inpatient boys talk with a same-age peer. All boys had conduct disorder.

They counted tiny parts of talk: eye contact, questions, little sounds like "uh-huh," and how long each turn lasted.

They also asked peers, "Would you like to hang out with this kid?" to see if the boys seemed likable.

The boys with conduct disorder used fewer questions and acknowledgments. They looked away more.

Peers rated them as less friendly. The missing pieces matched the low likability scores.

Chung et al. (2019) saw the same gap in high-school students with IDD. Those teens also talked to peers only once every four minutes.

Foltin (1997) sketched a full residential program for conduct youth. The plan folds social-skills drills into daily life, just what the 1988 data say is missing.

Cook et al. (2011) warn us to define each skill part before we teach it. Their review backs the 1988 idea of breaking conversation into eye contact, questions, and acknowledgments.

You now know three micro-skills to target: eye contact, questions, and short acknowledgments. Write them on your data sheet. Praise each one when it happens. In 10-minute role-play blocks you can raise peer liking and cut future conflict.