Decreasing Disruptive Behavior with Social Stories

Now that I’m working in the school system, I’ve got increasing numbers of kids on my caseload who are on the autism spectrum. One issue we deal with frequently is behavior management. If the child can't sit in his or her seat and focus on a task, or work collaboratively with others, he or she isn't going to be successful in school.

Social Stories are an evidence-based intervention used frequently with children on the spectrum to reduce anxiety and teach social routines. They can also be used to manage disruptive behavior. In fact, one meta-analysis shows that they could be more effective in managing disruptive behavior than teaching pro-social behavior. For you research geeks, here is a multiple-baseline design study by Scattone, Wilczynski, Edwards, and Ryan that shows a decrease in disruptive behavior in three children with autism following the use of Social Stories in the classroom. One comment in this study that totally struck me was the one below — children with autism typically love rules and routines, and Social Stories teach rules and routines. As a therapist I love the jujitsu of using strengths to help overcome weaknesses:

“Social stories are convenient, are unobtrusive, and may draw on a strength many children with autism demonstrate (i.e., adherence to rules/routines).”

Social Story to Reduce Hitting

I work with a student who has a tendency to hit people who come into the classroom, particularly new or unfamiliar people. Our hypothesis is that the hitting is a result of the unpredictability of someone walking into a room, and also, a means of communicating anxiety. This Social Story teaches replacement behaviors and gives a verbal script to help turn this anxious student into a welcoming host/ess. I’ll collaborate with the special ed teacher and the para-educator to implement