A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Social Skills Intervention Programs for Children with Borderline Intellectual Functioning

This study aims to systematically review and statistically synthesize the effectiveness of social skills intervention programs for children with borderline intellectual functioning, as well as the factors that moderate their program effectiveness. A total of 31 domestic experimental studies published up to February 2025—comprising 27 peer-reviewed journal articles and 4 theses—were selected based on PICOS criteria. A meta-analysis was conducted using R version 4.4.0. The results are as follows: First, the overall effect size of the social skills intervention programs was high (g = 1.24) and statistically significant. Second, among the subdomains of social skills, the effect sizes were highest for assertive skills (g = 1.56), followed by compliance skills (g = 1.39), self-management skills (g = 1.21), and peer relationship skills (g = 1.19), while academic skills (g = 0.64) demonstrated a moderate effect. Third, moderator analysis revealed significant differences based on the type of media used and the number of sessions per week, with animal-assisted programs and those conducted once per week showing the largest effect sizes. Based on these findings, this study discusses the effectiveness and practical implications of social skills interventions for children with borderline intellectual functioning.