Children's Friendship Training »

Fred Frankel is Professor of Medical Psychology, UCLA Department of Psychiatry. He developed the UCLA Children's Friendship Training Program with Robert Myatt, offering treatment to over 900 children with friendship problems since 1989. He has published several controlled studies and was awarded an NIMH research grant to study Children's Friendship Training.

Children's Friendship Training is a complete manualized guide for therapists treating children with peer problems. This unique, empirically validated treatment is the first to integrate parents into the therapy process to ensure generalization to school and home.
Representing over twelve years of research, Children's Friendship Training presents the comprehensive social skills training program developed by these pioneering authors. Step-by-step interventions help children develop the skills to initiate mutually satisfying social interactions. These interactions can lead to higher regard within the peer group and the development of satisfying dyadic relationships that will, in turn, serve to enhance overall well-being.
Clinical and empirical rationales, illustrative case examples, and parent handouts that educate parents and provide specific guidelines for homework assignments are presented for each treatment module. Brief reviews of the child development literature, assessment techniques and other approaches to children's social skills training are presented to sufficiently acquaint therapists interested in implementing children's friendship training.