A real-world application of Social Stories as an intervention for children with communication and behaviour difficulties

Abstract

ABSTRACT Increasingly, pragmatic language skills are viewed as playing a crucial role in the relationship between language and behaviour difficulties. This study aimed to explore whether Social Stories, a familiar intervention for children with autism, would lead to improvements in problematic behaviour for children with both behaviour and pragmatic language difficulties. Four children (3 males, 1 female) in Key Stage 2 and four school staff personnel in two primary schools in England were recruited to a single-case multiple-baseline design study. Direct observations were examined through visual analysis and intervention effects calculated. Generalisation and maintenance data were also collected and analysed. The Social Story intervention led to a reduction in problematic behaviour across all four participants, with intervention effect size ranging from small-medium (NAP = .58-.79). Social Stories, therefore, offer a promising intervention for children with pragmatic language and behaviour difficulties. Limitations of the study are discussed and directions for future research provided.