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Empowering social competence: A scoping review of digital social skills training interventions

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Title: Empowering social competence: A scoping review of digital social skills training interventions
Authors: Salehi, Nasim, Nickbakht, Mansoureh, Branch-Smith, Cindy, Bashi, Nazli, Salehi, Elham, Sargeant, Sally, Hurley, Diarmuid, Fatehi, Farhad
Source: Research outputs 2022 to 2026
Publisher Information: Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia
Publication Year: 2025
Collection: Edith Cowan University (ECU, Australia): Research Online
Subject Terms: Digital health, digital social skills training, eHealth, social behavior, social communication, social skills, telehealth, Psychology, Social and Behavioral Sciences
Description: Effective social skills are essential for functional social support, help-seeking, and resource access. Digital social skills training (DSST) plays a key role in empowering individuals to develop social competence, improve access to various support and resources, and enhance locus of control through dynamic media. This scoping review aims to identify and explore existing DSST programs and their mechanisms for access to support and resources, as well as health outcomes among people with and without health conditions. A search across four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Embase) from 2000 to 2023 resulted in the inclusion of 59 papers. Thematic analysis categorized DSST technologies into three levels: (1) passive learning with a low level of interaction, (2) collaborative learning (mutual interactions between individuals for learning and leveraging technological platforms to facilitate the process), and (3) experiential learning (e.g., virtual reality (VR)). DSST programs were beneficial in various health aspects, including physical, mental, and social health, with notable outcomes in social literacy and functional social skills. DSST enhanced cooperative behaviors and well-being and mitigated social stigma, loneliness, stress, and anxiety. Tailoring DSST to specific groups proved beneficial, with collaborative and experiential programs, such as VR, being effective, especially among youth populations because of the high level of interactions. DSST’s capacity to be individualized can significantly improve social perceptions, cognition, and practical social skills, optimizing access to resources.
Document Type: text
File Description: application/pdf
Language: unknown
DOI: 10.1155/hsc/5964176
Availability: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworks2022-2026/7078
https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/5964176
https://ro.ecu.edu.au/context/ecuworks2022-2026/article/8078/viewcontent/Empowering_20Social_20Competence.pdf
Rights: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Accession Number: edsbas.5FD091F5
Database: BASE
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  Data: Empowering social competence: A scoping review of digital social skills training interventions
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Salehi%2C+Nasim%22">Salehi, Nasim</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nickbakht%2C+Mansoureh%22">Nickbakht, Mansoureh</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Branch-Smith%2C+Cindy%22">Branch-Smith, Cindy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bashi%2C+Nazli%22">Bashi, Nazli</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Salehi%2C+Elham%22">Salehi, Elham</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sargeant%2C+Sally%22">Sargeant, Sally</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hurley%2C+Diarmuid%22">Hurley, Diarmuid</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fatehi%2C+Farhad%22">Fatehi, Farhad</searchLink>
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  Data: Research outputs 2022 to 2026
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  Data: Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Edith Cowan University (ECU, Australia): Research Online
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Digital+health%22">Digital health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22digital+social+skills+training%22">digital social skills training</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22eHealth%22">eHealth</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22social+behavior%22">social behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22social+communication%22">social communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22social+skills%22">social skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22telehealth%22">telehealth</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology%22">Psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+and+Behavioral+Sciences%22">Social and Behavioral Sciences</searchLink>
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  Data: Effective social skills are essential for functional social support, help-seeking, and resource access. Digital social skills training (DSST) plays a key role in empowering individuals to develop social competence, improve access to various support and resources, and enhance locus of control through dynamic media. This scoping review aims to identify and explore existing DSST programs and their mechanisms for access to support and resources, as well as health outcomes among people with and without health conditions. A search across four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Embase) from 2000 to 2023 resulted in the inclusion of 59 papers. Thematic analysis categorized DSST technologies into three levels: (1) passive learning with a low level of interaction, (2) collaborative learning (mutual interactions between individuals for learning and leveraging technological platforms to facilitate the process), and (3) experiential learning (e.g., virtual reality (VR)). DSST programs were beneficial in various health aspects, including physical, mental, and social health, with notable outcomes in social literacy and functional social skills. DSST enhanced cooperative behaviors and well-being and mitigated social stigma, loneliness, stress, and anxiety. Tailoring DSST to specific groups proved beneficial, with collaborative and experiential programs, such as VR, being effective, especially among youth populations because of the high level of interactions. DSST’s capacity to be individualized can significantly improve social perceptions, cognition, and practical social skills, optimizing access to resources.
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