This monograph provides information on identifying children and youth who could benefit from social skills instruction, highlights strategies for teaching social skills, and presents ideas for reinforcing social competence. After a chapter that introduces the issues, Chapter 2, "Social Competence," defines social competence and discusses elements of social behavior, including the development of social competence; the influence of emotional intelligence; social competence in children and youth with emotional and behavioral disorders; and risk factors that help to explain the development of antisocial behavior. Chapter 3, "Assessment of Social Competence," explores the purpose for student assessment in the areas of social competence, assessment techniques and strategies (teacher rankings and sociometric methods, ratings by others and self-ratings, behavioral interviews, and direct observation), and multimethod assessment procedures (multiple rating and functional assessment). Chapter 4, "Effective Interventions," provides descriptions of social skills interventions that have proven effective in teaching social competence, including structured learning, pre-social skills instruction, high probability requests, and cognitive restructuring and emotional intelligence. A description of the steps and sample activities that could be used in anger management instruction is provided. Supporting social competence through social and token reinforcement and the effects of intervention on social competence is also discussed. (Contains 74 references.) (CR)