Social Stories™ are short, individualized narratives created to help individuals (often children with autism spectrum disorder) understand and navigate social situations and expectations. A Social Story is typically written from the learner’s perspective and describes a situation in concrete terms, highlighting relevant social cues, others’ perspectives, and appropriate responses or behaviors. For example, a social story might outline what happens and how to behave during recess or how to cope with losing a game. These stories follow specific guidelines (developed by Carol Gray) such as using positive, reassuring language and a ratio of descriptive or perspective sentences to directive sentences, aiming to teach rather than scold.
Kokina, Anastasia, and Lynn Kern. 2010. “Social Story™ Interventions for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 40 (7): 812–826. Link
Wahman, Charis L., et al. “Examining the Effects of Social Stories™ on Challenging Behavior and Prosocial Skills in Young Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Topics in Early Childhood Special Education 41, no. 4 (2022): 267–279. Link
