The literature on social competence has demonstrated that rejection by peers during childhood is a factor of influence in the development of antisocial behaviors. The present study aimed to measure the effectiveness of an extended clinical intervention model, involving parents, teachers and peers of children with interaction difficulties. The intervention was developed at a public school at Osasco-SP suburb, which was a IPUSP psychological center's branch. The subjects were 38 second-grade children, belonging to three groups: a) 13 to the psychological assistance group; b) 12 to the control group and c) 13 to the social validation group. Their sociometric status was measured by interviews with respective classes in three different moments: before, during and after intervention. Children attending the intervention program had a significant increase of social competence compared to those belonging to the control group and they also reached a similar sociometric status sociometric in comparison to the validation group.
Social competence; preventive intervention; community
