A Pilot Randomised Control Trial of Digitally-Mediated Social Stories for Children on the Autism Spectrum.
R Hanrahan, E Smith, H Johnson and 2 others
PMID 32266683WHAT IT FOUND
Personalised digital social stories read daily for two weeks improved goal attainment, behaviour frequency and intensity in children with autism.
Effects held at six-week follow-up, but anxiety did not change. This pilot suggests promise, not proof.
Key findings
01The intervention group scored significantly higher on goal attainment than the control group at week three, week four, and six-week follow-up.
02Behaviour frequency and intensity were significantly lower in the intervention group compared to controls at six-week follow-up.
03There was no significant difference in behaviour-related anxiety between the groups at the six-week follow-up.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample size was very small (n=15), making the results preliminary and not generalisable. Many of the significant findings would not remain significant if adjusted for multiple testing. All outcomes were based on teacher perceptions, which may be biased despite blinding, as visible behaviour changes could unblind the rater. The study did not collect direct data from the children regarding their understanding or anxiety. It is unclear if the digital format or the social story content drove the effects, as the control group received a poem on the same device.
Declared interests
Funded by the Leverhulme Trust. No other conflicts of interest declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this digital social story intervention reduces anxiety in children with autism. While there was a temporary difference during the intervention, there was no significant difference in anxiety between the groups at the six-week follow-up.