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This series of studies describes the development and the evaluation of reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of a newly designed self-report questionnaire for the assessment of adolescent social competence: the Teenage Inventory of Social Skills (TISS). Two-week test–retest reliabilities for positive and negative behavior scales were .90 and .72; internal consistencies were .88. Convergent validity was assessed by comparing TISS scales with self-monitoring data, ratings by peers, and sociometric data. Discriminant validity was examined by investigating correlations between scores on the TISS and social desirability, socioeconomic status, and another paper-and-pencil self-report instrument (Conflict Behavior Questionnaire) thought not to be necessarily related to adolescent social behavior. Results provided adequate evidence for both the convergent and discriminant validity of the TISS scales.

Identification and treatment of children and adolescents who have poor peer relationships have received increasing attention in the past decade, perhaps as a result of studies suggesting a link between maladaptive social interactions and the development of behavior problems (e.g., Parker & Asher, 1987; Roff, Sells, & Golden, 1972). The foundation of such efforts should be reliable and valid assessment tools.

Appropriate measures are required for screening and identifying socially incompetent children and adolescents, for selecting specific target behaviors to be included in training programs, and for evaluating treatment effectiveness. Most social competence assessment strategies have been developed and evaluated with children of elementary school or preschool age, with very few studies being applicable to the adolescent period (see Combs & Slaby, 1977, or Foster, DeLawyer, & Guevremont, 1985, for reviews). Yet, as various researchers (e.g., Asher & Hymel, 1981; Asher & Renshaw, 1981;