Charlotte Child Psychologist

Social Stories, a therapeutic technique developed by Carol Gray, can be used to help children prepare for new situations, develop new skills or understand other people’s perspectives. Social stories are most effective when they are individualized to your child and written at their level.

Social stories can be helpful for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Anxiety, Social Skills difficulties and other behaviors. For example, Halloween is coming up. This can be an exciting time of year, but it can also be difficult for some children. As an example, let’s use a young child who occasionally tantrums if he receives a type of candy he doesn’t like. A sample social story might be:

“Halloween is coming! On Halloween, I get to dress up in my costume and go Trick or Treating. I am so excited to dress up as Spiderman! If it is cold on Halloween, I might have to wear a coat so I can stay warm. That’s okay, I will still look great. I will walk to a few houses with my Dad. When I get to a house, I get to ring the doorbell. When the door opens, we will both say ‘Trick or Treat!’ Then, the person will give me a piece of candy. Sometimes, I will get a piece of candy that I am really excited about, like a Snickers! Other times, I will get something I am not very excited about, like a Mounds bar. That’s okay. I will put it in my bag. Then we will say “thank-you,” wave goodbye and walk to the next house.”

Social stories don’t always change behavior, but they are useful for helping children understand what to expect and exposing them to new responses. You can learn more about social stories at www.thegraycenter.org. Carol Gray’s book: “The New Social Story Book: 10^th Anniversary Edition” can also be found on www.amazon.com.

Happy Trick or Treating!