Abstract

"Inappropriate," "impulsive," and "distractable" are labels frequently associated with behaviorally disordered hearing-impaired youths. The individual who stands out in a crowd because of socially unacceptable behavior not only fails to mature interpersonally but may also be deprived of appropriate educational treatment and vocational opportunities.

The present paper introduces a method of teaching social/emotional skills known as Conflict Resolution Training. This program has been designed to teach hearing-impaired children to utilize problem solving techniques to successfully resolve interpersonal difficulties. The primary goal of such training is to provide students with the skills necessary to independently resolve problems through the utilization of effective and socially acceptable means. Training is conducted in small groups through a series of sequenced sessions guided by a team consisting of the students' classroom teacher and a mental health professional. This stepwise approach to teaching problem solving, blended with the background and skills of the training team, has received promising results with elementary and middle-school students served in multiply handicapped hearing-impaired classrooms.

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