Role-Play Assessment of Social Skills in Conduct Disordered and Substance Abusing Adolescents: An Empirical Review

An integration and critical examination of studies that have evaluated social skill functioning in delinquent and substance abusing youth utilizing role-play assessment is warranted. Hence, the purpose of this paper is threefold: (a) to delineate the often misunderstood term “social skill,” (b) to describe role-play assessment, the most commonly utilized method to evaluate social skill functioning and, (c) to critically examine studies investigating social skills of conduct disordered and substance abusing adolescents.