Development of the Friendships and Social Skills Test (FASST): A Parent Report Measure

Abstract

This paper describes the initial development of the Friendships and Social Skills Test (FASST), a clinically oriented 25-item parent report measure of child peer relationships and social skills in a community (N = 423) and clinical sample (N = 159) of elementary school age children. Confirmatory factor analyses supported five factors measuring pro-social skills, negative peer directed behavior, friendship interactions, peer victimization, and the level of concern expressed about a child's social functioning. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the FASST factors predominately ranged from moderate to very good. Validity was supported through higher scores in at-risk and clinical groups compared to children in the community and through correlations with an existing measure of social skills and emotional and behavioral functioning. Cross-informant validity was supported by correlations with teacher-report. Moreover, the scales measuring negative social behaviors and pro-social skills predicted changes in peer victimization and concern expressed about the child over a 1-year duration. By assessing positive and negative aspects of peer-directed behaviors and relationships the FASST has the potential to facilitate the identification and treatment of childhood social deficits in mental health settings.