ABSTRACT
Social Stories are an intervention widely used with individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This chapter discusses a possible theoretical rationale that might account for the purported efficacy of Social Stories. Characteristics associated with ASD include impairments in social interaction, social communication and a lack of flexibility in thinking and behaviour. Those diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum show enormous variation in relation to a number of attributes: theory of mind, central coherence, stimulus selectivity, executive functioning and joint attention; intellectual ability, comprehension, communication, language-related ability; and sensory processes. Social Stories may well address the visual learning style of individuals with ASD. Two types of behaviour have been described in the literature: contingency-shaped behaviour and rule-governed behaviour. Gray states that most people are privy to a 'secret code': a system of unspoken communication that carries essential information; a system that eludes and frustrates individuals with high functioning autism (HFA) or Asperger's syndrome (AS).
