Social stories and comic strip conversations are powerful Communication Tools In Social Care, particularly beneficial for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Developed to bridge communication gaps and foster social understanding, these methods offer structured and visual approaches to navigate social situations and enhance overall well-being.
Understanding Social Stories
Introduced by Carol Gray in 1991, Social Stories™ are concise narratives that describe specific situations, events, or activities. These stories provide key information about what to expect and the reasoning behind social cues and expected behaviors. It’s important to note that “Social Story” and “Social Stories” are trademarks owned by Carol Gray.
Social stories act as vital communication tools in social care by offering:
- Skills Development: They aid in learning essential self-care skills (like teeth brushing or hand washing), social skills (such as sharing and asking for help), and even academic concepts.
- Understanding Social Dynamics: Social stories clarify how others might behave or react in various situations, promoting empathy and social awareness.
- Perspective Taking: They help neurotypical individuals understand the autistic perspective, explaining unique responses and behaviors in social contexts.
- Managing Change and Distress: Social stories assist in coping with routine changes, unexpected events, or distressing situations like moving houses or dealing with loud noises.
- Boosting Self-Esteem: They provide positive reinforcement, highlighting strengths and achievements to build confidence.
- Behavioral Strategies: Social stories can guide appropriate responses to emotions like anger or help manage obsessive behaviors.
Alt text: Visual social story depicting children sharing toys, using speech bubbles to illustrate dialogue and promote prosocial behavior.
How Social Stories Facilitate Communication
Social stories function as effective communication tools in social care because they present information in a clear, literal, and concrete manner. This approach significantly improves comprehension of situations that might otherwise be confusing or ambiguous for autistic individuals. The content and presentation of social stories are adaptable, ensuring they meet diverse individual needs.
These stories are particularly helpful for:
- Sequencing: They clearly outline the order of steps in an activity, aiding in understanding routines and procedures.
- Executive Functioning: Social stories support planning and organization skills by breaking down tasks and situations into manageable parts.
- Reducing Anxiety: By providing predictability and guidelines for behavior, social stories create structure and reduce anxiety associated with uncertainty.
- Gaining Insight: Creating or utilizing social stories offers valuable insights into how an autistic person perceives and interprets different social situations, enhancing understanding and empathy from caregivers and educators.
Example of a Social Story
My Toys
My toys belong to me. They are mine.
Many of my toys were given to me.
Some of my toys have my name on them.
I may play with my toys or share them with someone.
I have toys that are mine.
Example inspired by Carol Gray’s “The new social story book, 2015”
Crafting Effective Social Stories: A Step-by-Step Guide
Developing impactful social stories, valuable communication tools in social care, involves a thoughtful process:
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Define the Goal: Clearly identify the purpose of the social story. For instance, is it to teach a child to cover their mouth when coughing?
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Information Gathering: Collect detailed information about the targeted situation. Consider the setting, involved individuals, sequence of events, duration, and underlying reasons for actions and expectations. If outcomes are not guaranteed, use words like “sometimes” or “usually.” Tailor the story to the individual’s interests and avoid anxiety-provoking language. Ensure the content and presentation are age-appropriate, incorporating visuals like photographs or symbols for younger children or those with reading difficulties. Gather information about the person’s age, interests, attention span, and comprehension level.
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Text Tailoring: Structure the social story with a title, introduction, body, and conclusion. Employ gentle and supportive language, answering the “who, what, where, when, how, and why” questions. Utilize descriptive sentences to set the context and coaching sentences to gently guide behavior.
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Descriptive Sentence Examples:
- “Christmas Day is on December 25th.”
- “Sometimes, I might feel unwell.”
- “My body needs food regularly, like a car needs fuel to run.”
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Coaching Sentence Examples:
- “I will try to hold a grown-up’s hand when crossing the street.”
- “It’s okay to ask for help from a grown-up if I have bad dreams.”
- “When I feel angry, I can take deep breaths or go for a walk.”
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Utilizing Social Stories Effectively
To maximize the benefits of social stories as communication tools in social care, Carol Gray provides guidelines for effective implementation:
- Enhance Comprehension: Consider adding questions or fill-in-the-blanks to encourage engagement and check understanding.
- Support the Story: Create visual aids like posters displaying key phrases from the story to reinforce learning.
- Plan Story Sharing: Determine the frequency and setting for sharing the story, ensuring a calm and relaxed environment.
- Presentation: Present the social story directly and positively, for example, “I made this story about going to the dentist for you. Let’s read it together.”
- Monitor and Adapt: Observe the individual’s response to the story and adjust as needed to ensure its effectiveness.
- Organization: Maintain an organized system for storing stories, whether digitally or in a binder, for easy access, review, and updates.
Alt text: Caregiver utilizing picture cards to present a social story to a child, enhancing visual engagement and comprehension.
Comic Strip Conversations: Visualizing Interactions
Comic strip conversations, also developed by Carol Gray, are another invaluable communication tool in social care. They are simple visual representations of conversations that illustrate:
- Verbal Exchanges: What is actually said during a conversation.
- Emotional Content: How individuals might be feeling.
- Intentions: Underlying motivations behind actions and words.
Comic strip conversations utilize stick figures, symbols, and colors to depict social interactions and abstract elements of communication, making them more concrete and understandable. Color-coding is often used to represent emotions associated with statements.
By visually breaking down conversations, comic strip conversations make abstract aspects of social communication, such as recognizing emotions, more tangible and easier to grasp, improving social understanding and interaction skills. They also offer insights into how an autistic person perceives social situations.
Implementing Comic Strip Conversations
Comic strip conversations are especially helpful communication tools in social care for autistic individuals who struggle with abstract concepts in social interactions. This method involves drawing while conversing to visually explore different social situations.
In a comic strip conversation, the autistic individual takes the lead, with support from parents, caregivers, or educators. The process typically involves:
- Initiating with Small Talk: Begin with casual topics to familiarize the person with drawing while talking and to simulate natural social interactions.
- Asking Targeted Questions: Pose questions about specific social situations or interactions. The autistic person responds verbally and through drawings.
- Summarizing the Conversation: Review and summarize the discussed event using the drawings as a visual guide.
- Problem Solving: Identify and address any problems or concerns revealed during the conversation.
- Developing Action Plans: Create action plans for similar future situations, providing a helpful guide for the autistic individual.
For complex situations or when sequencing is challenging, comic strip boxes or numbered drawings can be used to maintain clarity. Comic strip conversations can also be used proactively to plan for potentially anxiety-inducing situations, such as exams or social events, while acknowledging the possibility of unexpected changes.
Creating Your Own Comic Strip Conversations
Creating comic strip conversations as communication tools in social care is accessible and adaptable. Materials can range from simple paper, pencils, and markers to computer-based word processing applications or specialized apps. Encourage the individual to choose their preferred materials.
Consider storing comic strip conversations in notebooks or digital devices for easy reference and recall of key concepts, making them readily available communication tools in social care whenever needed.
Further Resources
- Timmins, Dr. S. (2017) Successful Social Stories for School and College Students with Autism, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
- Timmins, Dr. S. (2016) Successful Social Stories for Young Children with Autism Jessica Kingsley Publishers
- Gray, C. (2015) The new Social Story book: 15th Anniversary Edition. Future Horizons Firm
- Gray, C. (1994) Comic strip conversations: illustrated interactions with students with autism and related disorders Carol Gray social story sampler
- Gerhardt, P., Cohen, M. (2014) Visual supports for people with autism: a guide for parents and professionals. Woodbine House
- Howley, M., Arnold, E. (2005) Revealing the hidden social code. Jessica Kingsley Publishers
By utilizing social stories and comic strip conversations, professionals and caregivers can significantly enhance communication tools in social care, fostering improved social understanding, reduced anxiety, and greater safety and well-being for individuals with autism. These visual and narrative approaches empower autistic individuals to navigate the social world with increased confidence and competence.
