**2.2. Materials**

Green LEGO® plastic plates (50 × 50 cm) and several types of blocks were provided to each group. We prepared the cube-shaped blocks (in red, blue, green, yellow, white, black, and brown colors) and specific blocks such as animals, plants, wheels, windows, and doors. The human figures and its accessories were also prepared.

## **2.3. Procedure**

The collaborative block creation was held as part of a psychology class in a university summer school. The participants expressed anything they desired collaboratively with other group members using LEGO® blocks and figures on the plate. They were asked to answer the questionnaires about social skills and trust before and after the activity.

their group and that they came to know each other through a collaborative exercise. The facilitation of positive regard for others through collaborative expression and conversation resulted in participants' trust in others increasing after activity completion. In contrast, scores for trust in oneself did not change significantly following activity completion. Trust in oneself is a personal, psychological construct and is strongly connected to the foundation of one's personality. It cannot be changed in the short term because it cannot significantly increase without continuous introspection. As with the theory of art therapy or counseling, a continuous therapeutic process is sometimes necessary to facilitate selfinsight. In this study, collaborative expression was the first and only opportunity for participants to engage in this activity. Future research should examine the effects of block creation over a period of time to investigate additional clinical applications. In addition, expanding the range of applications for collaborative block creation will require practical and statistical studies including several types of participants and assessments of various

**Before After**

Social skills 59.9 9.7 65.2 11.3 \*\* Trust for others 34.3 7.1 35.3 7.6 \*

Trust in oneself 24.1 5.4 24.6 5.6

**Table 1.** Scores of social skills and trust before and after the activity.

**Mean SD Mean SD**

Improving Social Skills through Collaborative Artwork and Group Activity

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.74789

39

The results obtained in this study show that collaborative block creation has positive effects on participants' social skills and trust in others. It also suggests that collaborative block creation could be useful in education, therapy, and cross-cultural group settings as a medium for communication. In future studies, the multiple effects of this method should be

The effect of collaborative block creation especially focused on the sense of acceptance is overviewed in this section based on Kato et al. [20]. Examining the effects of group cooperation and group therapy are important research topics in educational and clinical psychology. For example, the self-categorization theory was developed (Turner et al. [21]), and it indicated that collaborative group work could improve social identity. It also promotes reciprocal positive evaluations, trust among group members, and sense of acceptance by others. The role of peer groups and gender in adolescents' task values and physical activity were examined (Yli-Piipari et al. [22]), and the study mentioned that it was important to investigate the effect of group dynamics on adolescents as a research

**3. Collaborative block construction on the sense of acceptance**

psychological aspects.

examined.

\*\*p < .01. \* p < .05.

## **2.4. Measures**

## *2.4.1. Social skills*

The 18-item Kikuchi Scale of Social Skills (KiSS-18; [18]) was used to measure social skills. It measures a participant's general social skills and includes items such as "I can join in conversation with others smoothly" and "I can express my feeling to others."

#### *2.4.2. Trust*

Trust scale developed by Amagai [19] is used as an index of the trust of the participants, and it includes 24 items. The items are divided into three subgroups of trust for others, trust in oneself, and distrust. In this study, we only used the trust for others (six items) and trust in oneself (eight items).

#### **2.5. Results and discussion**

The scores of each scale before and after the block creation were compared. The result showed that the social skills (t(38) = −4.16, p < .01) and trust in others (t(38) = −2.28, p < .05) were significantly higher after the activity than before. In contrast, the score of trust in oneself was not changed significantly (t(38) = −0.48, ns). **Table 1** showed scores of social skills and trust before and after the activity.

The collaborative block creation facilitated social skills. Social skills include many aspects of skills, and the abilities to join in conversations and express feelings to others are necessary in communication with others. Many of the participants were meeting for the first time, and they are not familiar to each other; certain participants may be anxious before the activity. It is considered to be difficult to use appropriate social skills in a new or strange situation without any help. The block expression reduced participants' tension or anxiety, and it might be a good medium to help them to adapt to the group.

Trusting other people in the group was found to increase significantly after the activity. We assume that the participants were interested in meeting all the other members of


**Table 1.** Scores of social skills and trust before and after the activity.

**2.2. Materials**

38 Socialization - A Multidimensional Perspective

**2.3. Procedure**

**2.4. Measures**

*2.4.2. Trust*

oneself (eight items).

and after the activity.

good medium to help them to adapt to the group.

**2.5. Results and discussion**

*2.4.1. Social skills*

Green LEGO® plastic plates (50 × 50 cm) and several types of blocks were provided to each group. We prepared the cube-shaped blocks (in red, blue, green, yellow, white, black, and brown colors) and specific blocks such as animals, plants, wheels, windows, and doors. The

The collaborative block creation was held as part of a psychology class in a university summer school. The participants expressed anything they desired collaboratively with other group members using LEGO® blocks and figures on the plate. They were asked to answer the ques-

The 18-item Kikuchi Scale of Social Skills (KiSS-18; [18]) was used to measure social skills. It measures a participant's general social skills and includes items such as "I can join in conver-

Trust scale developed by Amagai [19] is used as an index of the trust of the participants, and it includes 24 items. The items are divided into three subgroups of trust for others, trust in oneself, and distrust. In this study, we only used the trust for others (six items) and trust in

The scores of each scale before and after the block creation were compared. The result showed that the social skills (t(38) = −4.16, p < .01) and trust in others (t(38) = −2.28, p < .05) were significantly higher after the activity than before. In contrast, the score of trust in oneself was not changed significantly (t(38) = −0.48, ns). **Table 1** showed scores of social skills and trust before

The collaborative block creation facilitated social skills. Social skills include many aspects of skills, and the abilities to join in conversations and express feelings to others are necessary in communication with others. Many of the participants were meeting for the first time, and they are not familiar to each other; certain participants may be anxious before the activity. It is considered to be difficult to use appropriate social skills in a new or strange situation without any help. The block expression reduced participants' tension or anxiety, and it might be a

Trusting other people in the group was found to increase significantly after the activity. We assume that the participants were interested in meeting all the other members of

human figures and its accessories were also prepared.

tionnaires about social skills and trust before and after the activity.

sation with others smoothly" and "I can express my feeling to others."

their group and that they came to know each other through a collaborative exercise. The facilitation of positive regard for others through collaborative expression and conversation resulted in participants' trust in others increasing after activity completion. In contrast, scores for trust in oneself did not change significantly following activity completion. Trust in oneself is a personal, psychological construct and is strongly connected to the foundation of one's personality. It cannot be changed in the short term because it cannot significantly increase without continuous introspection. As with the theory of art therapy or counseling, a continuous therapeutic process is sometimes necessary to facilitate selfinsight. In this study, collaborative expression was the first and only opportunity for participants to engage in this activity. Future research should examine the effects of block creation over a period of time to investigate additional clinical applications. In addition, expanding the range of applications for collaborative block creation will require practical and statistical studies including several types of participants and assessments of various psychological aspects.

The results obtained in this study show that collaborative block creation has positive effects on participants' social skills and trust in others. It also suggests that collaborative block creation could be useful in education, therapy, and cross-cultural group settings as a medium for communication. In future studies, the multiple effects of this method should be examined.
