Using social stories to decrease aggression and increase positive peer interactions in normally developing pre‐school children

Abstract

Social stories have been widely used for children with autism and developmental delays; however, little research has been conducted that examines their effectiveness with pre‐school children who have no developmental delays. The present study investigated this previously undocumented use of social stories. Social stories were used to decrease aggression and improve positive peer relations in a Head Start pre‐school setting. Participants included three four‐year‐old pre‐school students. A single‐subject, ABC multiple baseline design with counterbalanced treatment order was implemented where social stories were compared to a neutral book. Direct observations and pre‐ and post‐Behaviour Assessment System for Children‐2 (BASC‐2) Teacher Rating Scale (TRS) scores were examined. Results revealed some support for the usefulness of social stories in this setting and with this population. Limitations of the study are discussed and directions for future research are provided.