Social Stories, Written Text Cues, and Video Feedback: Effects on Social Communication of Children with Autism

Kathy S. Thiemann and Howard Goldstein, Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis, 2001, Vol 34, pp 425-446.

This study investigated the effects of written text and pictorial cuing with supplemental video feedback on the social communication of 5 students with autism and social deficits. Two peers without disabilities participated as social partners with each child with autism to form five triads. Treatment was implemented twice per week and consisted of 10 min of systematic instruction using virtual stimuli, 10 min of social interaction, and 10 min of self-evaluation using video feedback. Results showed increases in targeted social communication skills when the treatment was implemented. Some generalised treatment effects were observed across untrained social behaviours, and 1 participant generalised improvements within the classroom. In addition, naïve judges reported perceived improvements in the quality of reciprocal interactions. These findings support recommendations for using visually cued instruction to guide the social language development of young children with autism as they interact with peers without disabilities.

An intervention that combined social stories, pictorial and written text cues, and supplemental video feedback was effective in increasing specific social communication skills of 5 young students with autism as they interacted with typical peers.