Alena+Ruoff+Social+Stories

Social Stories 1) Description of Strategy a) Social stories and written and used typically for children with autism to help teach appropriate behaviors for particular social situations.

Carol Grays Social Story Website: []

b) Students of all ages that have a social or behavior deficite (usually used on students with a diagnosis of autism). c) There are no particular qualifications. The adults making the social stories should follow Carol Grays guidelines for a productive social story. d) Creating a social story takes minimal time, pictures of the student and/or situation (you will need a camera), and following Carol Grays guideliness on how to create/write a social story. e) students may become too reliant on visuals f) Students gain an understanding of how to behavior or act in a social situation (saying hi, sitting at circle time, what to do for a fire drill, etc.) g) All social settings h) Many professionals use social stories as a way to prepare students for community outings, social situations, and to shape behaviors. It is little cost and easy to use with students. There is very little negative feedback.

2) APA Reference

Schneider, N. & Goldstein, H. (2009). Using Social Stories and Visual Schedules to Improve Socially Approriate Behaviors in Children With Autism//. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions,// 12(3), 149-160.

a) Three kindergarten to fifth grade students participated in the study. They all had a diagnosis of autism, demonstrated off-task behaviors and impaired verbal communication, and did not receive intervention for the off-task problem behavior. b) This study was a multiple-base design across participants. c) On task behavior (transitions within the school environment. How long it takes a studen to transition after being given a task) d) The use of a social story being presented before the task is given on what appropriate behavior needs to be displayed. e) Results suggest that on task behavior will increase more for a routine when the student was given step by step guideliness on how to behavior and what to do when given a task.

Baseline average over a 9 day period: 25% of intervals of on task behavior After a social story was given: 60% of intervals of on task behavior