This review was intended to identify generic skills in interpersonal relations and to examine the implications of research for attempts to assess these skills. Using a developmental framework, three areas of research were reviewed: the social development of children and adolescents, clinical studies of interpersonal competence, and studies of effective leadership. Six skills appeared in this literature: use of basic social forms, common interactions with others, constructive assertiveness, internal monitoring, emotional expression, and the coordination of group activities. (Author)