1. Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of properly constructed social stories on decreasing the disruptive behaviours of two adolescents, ages 13 and 15, with autism. The participants’ progress was monitored over 18 sessions and direct observations have demonstrated an overall decrease in the disruptive behaviour since the implementation of the program. Overall, the results from the observations and the survey conducted amongst people who interacted with the two individuals show a relatively positive effect in the usage of social stories. Future areas of research outlining the limitations and the budding potential of using such stories were also discussed.
Keywords: Autism; social stories; adolescents; disruptive behaviour.
2. Introduction
2.1 Background Information
According to Polkinghorne (1989), stories are a significant manner by which humans relate to their temporal and personal actions. There have been a plethora of instances where indigenous stories are passed down to inculcate cultural and ethical values in the minds of the younger generation. This is further seen in day to day life when teachers and parents narrate their personal stories which have morals “to create an emotional attatchment towards goodness, and incline them towards right things”( Rana
…show more content…
However, students with disabilities often find it difficult to acquire these social skills (Brown, 2001, as cited in More, 2008 ). Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD’s) have difficulty in daily activities (Blenner, Reddy & Augustyn, 2011, p.894 due to the deficits in communication, cognition, sensory and motor performances, social interactions and are characterized by their restricted repetitive behaviours. Students with ASD’s have social and educational impairments due to their condition and as a result are deemed as being disruptive in classroom or household