Table 2.
Dimensions and category systems of the social behavior observational instrument for participant
| Dimensions categories (CODES) | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Interaction type | ||
| Low-level interaction (LLI) |
The child exhibits behaviors that indicate social intention, but with minimal social enactment, just to obtain something |
Interactions between different participants: “It is your turn” “Pass me the token” Questions or comments related to the game |
| High level interaction (HLI) | The child exhibits verbal and nonverbal social behaviors that lead to an effective social process with peers. Behaviors that serve to start or maintain social interaction |
“I like your t-shirt” “Do you want to play with me?” “How was your weekend?” “I want to play with you” |
| Negative level interaction (NLI) | Participant exhibits rude and unpleasant social behaviors |
“You are a dumb” “I’m not going to let you play” Comments that include teasing or insults |
| Social behavior | ||
| Responses to an interaction (RES) | The child responds verbally and/or nonverbally to social stimuli directed toward him/her by peers |
“Which game do you want to play? Response: “I want to play Uno” “What did you do last weekend?” Response: “I went to the park” |
| Initiations of interaction (IN) | The child begins a new social sequence, distinguished from a continuation of a previous sequence by a change in activity |
“Do you want to play with me?” “This weekend I had a problem” “My favorite animal is the lion, and yours?” “Can we change the game?” |
| Evitations (EV) | The child avoids any type of interaction or communication that is addressed to him/her | When someone asks to play or share something, the participant ignores or avoids the question/demand |
| Functional Play (FP) | The child play with another participant without talking. Some of the games do not require to speak directly | Two participants who play’three in line’ without speaking. They do not share the experience, or talk about anything, but they play together |
| Verbal communication | ||
| Functional communication (FUNC) | The child approaches or responds to another child with an intention to fulfill his/her own needs, and with no social intention |
“It’s my turn on the computer now” “Pass me the token” “It’s your turn” |
| Social verbal communication (SOVERC) | The child approaches another child with a social (rather than functional) intention |
“Let’s play” Questions and comments related to show interest in other participants |
| Sharing experiences (SHAREXP) | The child talks about an experience to peers or asks them about their experiences |
“What did you do over the weekend?” “I went to the mountains last summer, what did you do?” |
| Sharing object (OBJ) | The participant shares an object or game with another participant | The participants give a doll to another one, spontaneously or by request |
| Non-functional communication (NONFUNC) | Sounds, words and phrases that are not understandable or are not addressed to anyone | Sounds made during a play game but not addressed to any other participant (sing) |
| Verbal aggressive communication (VAGC) | The participant behaves intrusively and negatively towards his peers | “I do not want to play with you (screaming, jostling)” |
| Facial expression | ||
| Smile (SMIL) | Participant smiles to another in an interaction, intentionally | When two participants are talking, in a social conversation or during a game, one participant smiles as an answer (combined or not with words) |
| Looking | ||
| Not looking (NOLOOK) | Looking to another side, avoiding eye contact | When someone talks to the participant, he/she is looking to another side, avoiding eye contact |
| Eye contact (EC) | The child looks into the eyes of another child | When someone talks to the participant, he/she is looking at the eyes |
| Looking without eye contact (NOEC) | The child looks at the other child’s face or body, or child’s action, without establishing eye contact |
When someone talks to the participant, he/she is looking to the other person but not to the eyes When a participant is talking, he/she is looking at the person but not to the eyes |
| Gestures | ||
| Pointing gestures (POINTG) | Point your hand, arm or finger at anything to show it to another | “Move your piece here (pointing to the place)” |
| Emotional gestures (EMOG) | Gesture that indicates an emotion | Covering your mouth (surprise or laughter) |
| Conventional gestures (CONVG) | General and universal gestures, used in everyday life | Greet, raise the hand, no / yes (with your head), come, shut up, ok, etc |
| Affirmation or denial gestures (AFFDEN) | The child only nods his/her head for yes or shakes it for no | The participant answers a question without words, only using the head to say yes or no |
| Descriptive gestures (DESCG) | Gesture that is made with the arms and hands and gives us specific information and description about something | The gesture indicates the quantity, the size, the form, the length of things |
| Proximity (PX) | The child is near other children or game but does not play or do another activity. There is no eye contact or verbal communication | Participant reads a book and sits near two other participants that are playing cards |