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Social skills are vital in enabling an individual to have and maintain positive interactions with others. Many of these skills are crucial in making and sustaining friendships. Social interactions do not always run smoothly and an individual needs to be able to implement appropriate strategies, such as conflict resolution when difficulties in interactions arise. It is also important for individuals to have ’empathy’ as it allows them to respond in an understanding and caring way to how others are feeling. Children are facing social difficulties with particular risks. Young people who do not have strong relationships with the adults in their family are even more at risk. In an experiment in a high school, which lasted for 8 to 12 weeks, the students were told to be a movie director and to choose their own story structure. The students worked with each other, which involved lots of different skills, and social interactivity. The movies they had made were actually cool. Then, the researchers tested the intervention effect, finding this can improve their self-regulation, and they found this can improve their self-regulation and critical thinking skills.

Social skills are essential for forming and sustaining friendships, particularly through effective conflict resolution and empathy. Young people, especially those lacking strong adult relationships, face risks in social interactions. An experiment in a high school involved students collaboratively creating movies, which enhanced their self-regulation and critical thinking skills over 8 to 12 weeks.