The Benefits of Social Stories Among People with Autism Spectrum Disorder

For those of us who work and/or live with someone with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), we are familiar with the constant struggle those persons face navigating the social world we live in. Social Stories, which are short and simple stories written in the 1st person, serve as a travel guide through conversations and interactions.

For the most part, people who have ASD do not display the ability to glide from one social event to another while switching gears. For example, most of us can meet up with our familiy and neighbors in the Church parking lot prior to Mass and easily begin to chit-chat. But as soon as we enter the doors of the Church, we quickly switch our physical demeanor, we modulate our voices and we realize that nobody in Church is speaking. These are all unwritten social rules. Nobody ever sat us down and made a review sheet for this behavior and tested us on this. We modeled others around us when we were young. We may have needed reminders but only because we were making the wrong choice, not due to being completely unaware.

People with ASD are not able to read unwritten social rules. They need to actually read social rules. They need to be taught social skills the same way typical people learn how to complete a Math problem...step by step by step. After that, practice takes place and then a test is given. In this case, a real life test.

Think about all of the social techniques and savvy it takes to maneuver through these scenarios:
-Standing in line at the post office: how do we know to wait in line and not rush to the counter?
-Watching a play on Broadway: how do we know to sit quietly and talk out loud to the characters?
-Ordering in a restaurant: how do we know to only speak to the waiter when they are standing close?
-Food shopping: how do we know that customers don't walk up to each other and speak about personal issues?

There could be so many more descriptions added to this list. Each day, people with Autism Spectrum Disorder face words, facial expressions and body language that is as strange to them as it would be for us to land on Mars. Social Stories, when written and executed correctly, can serve as a major tool in their lives.