The Relationship Between Social Skills Deficits and Psychosocial Problems: A Test of a Vulnerability Model

This study sought to determine whether social skills deficits are a vulnerability factor in the development of psychosocial problems. In the first month of a semester, 227 students completed a laboratory interaction, measures of various components of social skills, and measures of the following psychosocial problems: depression, loneliness, social anxiety, substance use, and poor academic performance. Three to 4 months later, students again completed the measures of psychosocial problems and a measure of stress. The results were consistent with the hypothesis that some social skills deficits function as a vulnerability factor only for the development of social anxiety. For the remaining psychosocial problems, social skills deficits do not appear to be vulnerability factors. Poor social skills may be causally linked to social anxiety on their own and in concert with stress. Because the psychosocial problems were very stable over the course of the investigation, the vulnerability hypothesis received a restricted test.