Research: Using Social Stories with Autistic Children

This article gives an overview of social stories and how parents and therapists can use social stories to help autistic children improve their social functioning.

Because most children with autism have difficulties with social interactions and understanding the emotions of others, social situations can be confusing for them. By spelling out the behaviors and perceptions of others in the social environment in a step-by-step way, the authors state that social stories can help reduce anxiety and improve behavior in everyday situations like lining up after recess or going to the grocery store. The authors describe how techniques like reinforcement (a tool of applied behavior analysis or ABA) can be used to help maintain the desired behaviors described in the social story. Much of the article contains examples of problem behaviors and the social stories that can address them.