**2. Method**

98 Hearing Loss

using free time properly, answering requests); 5) *assertive skills* (starting conversation, accepting invitations, replying greetings). Nonetheless, other components of the children social skills may be present, such as: emotional expressiveness, civility, empathy, interpersonal problems solution, ability to make friends and social academic skills (Del

In a study with 48 preschoolers (24 with behavioral problem and 24 without), behavioral categories for the infantile social skills were suggested from evaluations of mothers and teachers. They were classified as: (a) **Social availability and cooperation**: Child makes requests, tries to help, asks questions, greets people, praises people, takes initiatives; (b) **Expression of feelings and coping**: expresses properly: thoughts, concerns and needs, shows distress, gives opinions, claims personal rights, is usually in a good mood and negotiates; (c) **Positive social interaction**: communicates in a positive manner, makes friends, plays with them, has nonverbal interaction (Bolsoni-Silva, Marturano, Pereira &

Positive parental practices may avoid the appearance and/or the maintenance of difficulties in interactions established between parents and children. On the other hand, negative practices may increase the probability of their occurrences (Patterson, Reid & Dishion, 2002). Positive educational practices include positive monitoring and moral behavior. Positive monitoring comprises the appropriate employment of attention and to grant privileges. Moral behavior implies promoting favorable conditions to the development of virtues and cultural values (empathy, notion of justice, responsibility, and work). Negative educational practices comprise negligence, permissiveness, negative monitoring, inconsistent

Parental social educational skills constitute important behaviors to guarantee a positive parental practice. In order to study the parents-children interaction as parental educational social skills (ESS-P); such skills were classified as: communication (talking, asking) expression of feelings and coping (expressing positive and negative feelings, opinions, demonstrating concern, playing) and establishing limits (identifying and reinforcing socially skilful and nonskilful behaviors, setting rules, being consistent, agreeing with the spouse, fulfilling promises, identifying mistakes and apologizing) (Bolsoni-Silva, Loureiro &

The interview guide (RE-HSE-P) was elaborated based on the propositions of authors involved in the social skills field (Del Prette & Del Prette, 1999; Caballo, 1991) and researchers involved in the study of parental practices (Patterson, Reid & Dishion, 2002; Reid, Webster-Stratton & Hammond, 2003). Authors of the Behavior Analysis field were consulted especially concerning the application of functional analyses in clinical practice (Goldiamond, 1974/2002; Meyer, Oshiro, Mayer, & Starling, 2008). The RE-HSE-P was validated and it has been employed in characterization studies (Bolsoni-Silva & Marturano, 2008) and as a pre and post-test measure at interventions (Bolsoni-Silva & Marturano, 2010) being effective in differentiating groups with and without problems. It has also being used in the identification of behavioral patterns of parents and children after intervention, by

Prette & Del Prette, 2006).

Manfrinato, 2006).

Marturano, 2011).

functional analysis.

punishment and physical abuse (Gomide, 2006).
