: Increasing Pro-Social Behaviors Using Social Stories: Low Tech to High Tech

Social stories have been used successfully as a setting event intervention to prevent problem behaviors and increase pro-social behaviors of children with ASD. During this presentation, examples of social stories for children of various functioning levels will be provided. An in depth discussion of how to create and use social stories, both paper format and computer format, matched to children’s individual needs will be covered. The social story is a strategy developed to help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) understand and appropriately follow specified social protocol. Social stories enhance an individual's skill of engaging in “perspective-taking” or “mind reading.” Social stories have been used successfully as a setting event intervention to prevent problem behaviors and increase pro-social behaviors of children with ASD. These stories may be generic, similar to most marketed stories, or specific to each child. Creating individualized social stories for children with ASD may prevent problem behaviors and increase pro-social behaviors (e.g., watching a movie with peers). The purpose of this presentation is to provide a detailed structure for creating individualized social stories for children with ASD. This presentation will begin with a brief literature review, followed by examples of social stories for particular children, and concluded with an in depth discussion of how to create and use social stories matched to children's individual needs. At the end of the presentation, parents and practitioners will have the knowledge to know how to (a) identify social needs of children with ASD, (b) create social stories matching the children's needs, and (c) use the social stories with children with ASD.