Social Stories
For some autistic people, a social story may help increase understanding of an activity, and lay out a clear plan of what is likely to happen. Some people may prefer the story to be written from the first-person perspective (e.g., "I will..."), and others will prefer third-person (e.g., "Tom will...").
Example - Planning doctor's visit
Tom will wake up at 09:00am tomorrow. Tom will put his clothes on, and then do his morning routine. Tom will get in the car with his aunt Cathy, who will drive Tom to the hospital for his doctor's appointment. The doctor is a nice person who can help Tom feel better. Tom will wait in the waiting room of the hospital for his name to be called, and when his name is called, will see the doctor. The doctor will perform some tests on Tom to understand him a bit better. After his appointment, Tom and Cathy will go get food at McDonalds. Tom and Cathy will go home after eating.
Example - Sharing things
Tom has a video game called 'X'. Tom has loved playing this game. Other people have been asking Tom to borrow his game. This makes Tom feel upset. Tom can say "no, thank you" to people asking to borrow his game. Tom does not have to give up his game.
Example - Working with client
Andrew is a psychologist, who helps people with mental health issues. Tom will see Andrew every week for twelve weeks, if Tom wants to. Andrew and Tom will think about how to help Tom feel better in his emotions. Andrew and Tom will come up with a plan on how Tom can help himself feel more calm and less anxious.
Writing social stories - step-by-step guide
1. Consider first-person or third-person language; get input from the person in question. Consider cognitive ability of person and which style is more suitable.
2. Consider the outcome of the social story; what are we trying to achieve? e.g., to make Tom more comfortable in attending his doctor's appointment.
3. Answer the questions; who, what, where, when, why and how?
4. Use clear, easy-to-understand and kind language.
5. You may have to go through the social story several times; it takes practice. Introduce the idea of a social story before showing it.
Carol Gray, the initiator of social stories, has released many examples of social stories which can be helpful to use as references for your own stories. The resource can be found here.