Generalization of skills through the addition of individualized coaching: Development and evaluation of a social skills training program in a rural setting

There has been recent interest in adding interventions that aid in skill generalization to standard social skills training programs for schizophrenia. Some of these adjunctive interventions are very comprehensive and clearly promising (e.g.,IVAST; Liberman, Glynn, Blair, Ross, & Marder 2002), but their overall cost-effectiveness and feasibility in communities with limited financial and staffing resources are of concern. Few studies have investigated the viability of such programs in small communities with few resources. This article reports on the development, implementation, and evaluation of two types of social skills training programs over an 8-month period: weekly group social skills training (based on the manual of Bellack, Mueser Gingerich, & Agresta, 199 7) and weekly training with the addition of individual supplementary coaching in the community. Evaluation of this pilot program suggests potential benefits of the adjunctive individualized coaching for clients, particularly in terms of improved skill acquisition and performance, as well as overall social functioning. Client case studies are presented, as are details of the nature of the coaching sessions, with an evaluation of the specific effects of these two social skills training programs. Factors involved in the implementation of these interventions inexpensively in a rural setting are also discussed.