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Using social stories to teach on-task behavior and participation skills with children on the autism spectrum
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Washburn, Melanie |
| Copyright Year | 2006 |
| Abstract | Social stories are written and individually tailored to provide individuals with autism with accurate social information to address their deficit areas (Gray, 2000). The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a social story intervention in increasing socially desirable behavior with two young boys diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The following dependent variables were considered: (la) body and eye contact, (lb) staying on the topic, and (2) disruptive and perseverative behavior in the classroom. For both participants, there was an increase in social appropriate behavior and a decrease in disruptive behavior over the course of eight weeks as measured by an ABAB design. While the intervention appeared effective in improving body and eye contact, staying on the topic, and disruptive behavior, overall it appeared that the social stories did not cause the change in the behavior. That is, the changes in behavior did not coincide with the presentation and removal of the story. Social Story 3 Using Social Stories to Teach On-Task Behavior and Participation Skills with Children On the Autism Spectrum Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) involve a variety of disruptions in normal development. The Diagnostic and StatisticalManual ofMental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) provides a description ofPDDs that encompasses a number of disorders: Autistic Disorder, Rett's Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, and PDD Not Otherwise Specified (APA, 2000). These disorders which are believed to be neurobehavioral syndromes caused by a dysfunction in the central nervous system may either have an onset early in life or precede a period of normal development. Each disorder is distinct in onset of symptoms and pattern of behavior (House, 2002). The onset of symptoms ofAutistic Disorder andAsperger's Disorder occurs in the first three years of life and includes three characteristics of impairment: impairment in social interaction, impairment in communication, and restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns ofbehavior, interests, and activities. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual ofMental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), Autistic Disorder is a distinct disorder different from Asperger's Disorder in that symptoms ofAsperger's Disorder do not present with impairments in verbal ability or cognitive development that is seen in Autistic Disorder. However, both disorders are collectively termed Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD (APA, 2000). ASD manifests by a qualitative impairment in social interaction exhibited by marked impairment in the use ofmultiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye contact, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction; failure to foster Social Story 4 developmentally appropriate peer relationships; lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or activities with others; and lack of social or emotional reciprocity. ASD also presents with difficulty in communication resulting from social dysfunction and failure to appreciate and utilize conventional rules of conversation, failure to practice nonverbal cues, and limited capacity for self-monitoring (APA, 2000). Several more symptoms are common to children with ASD that are not covered by the DSM-IV criteria (House, 2002). These symptoms include unusual responses to sensory stimuli, difficulty attending to unsolicited topics, aggressive outbursts in response to minor changes or frustrations, hyperactivity, anxiety, and self-injurious behaviors. Children with ASD with intelligence quotients over 100 have relative strengths involving an aptitude for rote memory or calculation skills (Cohen & Volkmar, 1987). The DSMIV states that ASD is a developmental disability that is diagnosed in approximately 1 out of every 2,000 children (APA, 2000). However, more recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that one in 166 children born today will fall somewhere on the autistic spectrum (Wallis, 2006). Interventionsfor Individuals with ASD There are many types of interventions in the literature focusing on the support of individuals with autism. Some behavioral interventions for students with autism include positive behavioral support, applied behavior analysis, and pivotal response training. Therapeutic and educational interventions include floor time play therapy, occupational and sensory integration therapies, speech therapy, social skills training, and transitional planning. Also, psychotropic medications alone or combined with the above interventions are used (Stewart, 2003). Social Story 5 Rutter (1983) wrote a comprehensive article regarding the treatment of autism that is still relevant today. He suggested that the goal of interventions should be the reduction, rather than the elimination, of rigidity, repetitiveness, and maladaptive behavior patterns intrinsic to individuals with ASD. He invited treatment providers to bring about change by means of a small series of changes that are accepted by the child as not amounting to any noticeable alteration. The targeted outcome is for internal, selfdirected control. Individuals with ASD have the tendency to think concretely rather than symbolically or abstractly (Cohen & Volkmar, 1987). Interventions using visually-cued or symbolic instruction are thought to be an effective instructional strategy for individuals with ASD regarding the pervasive impairment in the social arena (Pierce & Schreibman, 1994; Schuler, 1995; Sigman, Ungerer, Mundy & Sherman, 1987). Instruction using pictoral and visual cues foster organization and skill acquisition, expand socialization, and encourage behavioral control (Quill, 1995). These cues also provide the internal, self-directed control highlighted by Rutter (1983). Temple Grandin, a woman living with autism, stated that ". . .words are like a foreign language to me. I translate them into full-color movies, complete with sound, which run like a videotape in my head" (Eldred, 1998, p. 46). Grandin emphasized that individuals with autism have difficulty learning things that cannot be thought about in pictures. Individuals who work with children with autism need to understand how concepts can be formed visually to best teach their students (Eldred, 1998). When instructional strategies incorporate the cognitive processes and social-communication |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | https://scholarworks.rit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2376&context=theses&httpsredir=1&referer= |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
