Social stories as a tool to help preschool aged children with autism spectrum disorders utilize self-regulation strategies to promote increased functional behaviors

A multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the effects of Social Stories as a tool to help preschool aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) utilize self-regulation strategies to promote increased functional behaviors. Three children from a self-contained preschool classroom designed to educate children with ASD were selected to participate in the study. The intervention included reading individualized Social Stories that discussed target behaviors and self-regulation strategies, along with practicing the self-regulation strategies with the interventionist. I measured the percentage of intervals in which the participants engaged in self-regulatory behaviors and/or demonstrated desired behaviors as defined by the researcher and classroom teacher. Following intervention, the frequency of desired behaviors increased for all 3 participants while the use of self-regulatory behaviors varied across participants. These findings suggest that the intervention was successful in teaching self-regulation strategies and increasing functional behaviors in preschool aged children with ASD.