ABSTRACT
The inclusion of the diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder (AS) in the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) has allowed for more formal investigations of the etiology and prognosis of this disorder. These investigations raised new issues, which will probably dominate research for years to come. One of the issues raised is the need for comprehensive treatment programs for children who meet the diagnostic criteria for this disorder. School personnel, in particular, have had to develop and design treatment procedures for children diagnosed with AS in order to meet their academic, social, and behavioral needs in the schools. Although the bulk of commonly used researched treatment procedures are designed to target the needs of an individual child (Lorimer, Simpson, Myles, & Ganz, 2002; Kuttler, Myles, & Carlson, 1998), there exist very few manualized treatment procedures for the group treatment of AS. A review of current literature shows some promising pilot work by Hetzke (2004) and Barsky (2002); nevertheless, the development and research of group treatment approaches for children diagnosed with AS is at a nascent stage. This chapter will discuss the development and implementation of the Guided Social Stories curriculum for adolescents with Autism (AU) and AS. This curriculum has its roots in several research bodies and prior clinical applications.
