Children on the autism spectrum, like those with Asperger’s syndrome, have difficulty with social cognition. Concepts like making and keeping friends, being polite, considering people’s feelings, etc., can be totally mystifying. Most of us are able to navigate through friendly interactions quite easily, even though conversation is random and unpredictable. But randomness and spontaneity are overwhelming to kids on the spectrum.
In order for these special children to have any hope of achieving meaningful relationships and functioning well in society, we need to teach them basic social behavior in a way they can understand. One technique which can be very helpful is called “social stories.” Social stories teach friendship and manners in the form of a story. Basic skills of friendship are broken down into simple parts. Typically the parent reads the story twice with the child. Then the child is allowed to read the story once a day independently. For the child who can’t read, the story can be told on an audiotape with a bell or chime to indicate when to turn the page.
After the story has become well-known to the child, a situation can be created where the child can practice the social behavior. When he demonstrates a basic understanding of the flow of the interaction, a new story can be introduced. It’s a good idea, however, to refer back to previous stories once a week or several times a month for review. Stories can become more complicated if the child shows mastery of the skills being taught.
With very simple illustrations on blank pieces of paper, you can create your own “social stories” to help your child. You may want to work closely with your child’s teacher or occupational and speech therapists. If there are particular social problems your child is having, the social stories can be individualized to his or her specific needs. For example, a child who won’t make eye contact could read a story that specifically mentions looking into a friend’s eyes when saying hello. You can also teach your child new activities, routines, how to ask for help, how to act when angry, etc.
I have included an example of a very brief (which is best as a starting point) social story. The nice thing about this example is the child who is friendly is rewarded at the end. Try to pattern each story in such a way where your child receives a natural positive consequence for his actions.
Tell your child a social story!
Kristyn Crow is the author of this blog. Visit her website by clicking here. Some links on this blog may have been generated by outside sources are not necessarily endorsed by Kristyn Crow.
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