Story-based Interventions Established Intervention
Basic Facts
Story-based interventions identify a target behavior and involve a written description of the situations under which specific behaviors are expected to occur. Most stories aim to increase perspectivetaking skills and are written from an “I” or “some people” perspective. The most well-known story-based intervention is Social Stories™.
Number of articles reviewed: NSP1 = 21 NSP2 = 15 Age range of participants: Children and adolescents 3-14 years Skills increased:
Behaviors decreased:
•• communication and learning readiness (NSP2)
•• problem behaviors (NSP2)
•• interpersonal and self-regulation (NSP1&2)
Detailed Description
Story-based interventions are a simple way to teach individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to manage challenging situations in a wide variety of settings. When using a story-based intervention, use written descriptions for: •• The target behavior •• The situations in which the behavior should occur •• The likely outcome of performing the behavior. This often includes a description of another person’s perspective. Although the information included in the story will vary based on your child’s cognitive and developmental level, some typical features include: ›› Information about the “who/what/when/where/why” of the target behavior ›› Being written from an “I” or “some people” perspective with the goal of increasing perspective-taking skills ›› Discussion or comprehension questions to make certain the child understands the main points ›› Pictures to enhance comprehension of the skills Story-based interventions are often used with individuals who have acquired reading and comprehension skills, but may also be used with individuals with strong listening comprehension skills.
National Autism Center { 60