What Are Social Stories?
Social Stories™ (developed by Carol Gray) are short, written narratives that describe a social situation from the autistic person's perspective. They explain what happens, why it happens, how others feel, and what the person can do.
They are particularly effective for: preparing for new situations, explaining confusing social rules, addressing specific challenging situations, and reducing anxiety about upcoming events.
Why Social Stories Work for Autism
Autistic children often struggle with social situations because they lack the implicit social understanding that neurotypical people develop automatically. Social Stories provide explicit, predictable, text-based information about social situations — exactly the format many autistic minds process well.
How to Write a Social Story
Format guidelines (Carol Gray's original ratios):
- Descriptive sentences: describe what happens (4+ per story)
- Perspective sentences: describe what others think/feel (optional)
- Directive sentences: what the person might do (1, used sparingly)
Example for a doctor visit:
"Sometimes I go to the doctor. Doctors help people stay healthy. The doctor might look at my ears and throat. This might feel a bit strange. The doctor is trying to help me. I can sit on the table and take deep breaths. After the visit, we will go home."
Topics for Indian Family Contexts
- Visiting grandparents' home ("Dadi's house is different from our house")
- Festivals ("Diwali is a special day. There will be loud sounds")
- New school year ("Class 4 starts in June. My new teacher is Miss Sharma")
- Eating with the family at a wedding
- Going to the temple
Making Stories Accessible
Use photographs of actual people and places in the story. Record the story in audio. Use minimal text for early readers. Read the story 1–3 times before the actual situation.