Social skills development for children with autism spectrum disorders through storytelling games

What is it about?

Taking into consideration the importance of stories in the course of human development, beginning in early childhood, including the benefits that stories bring to the educational process for different learners, as well as the positive role that computers and games can play in enriching the lives of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), this chapter argues for combining the major features of the two by developing and using interactive storytelling games as educational tools to help improve the social skills of children with ASD.

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Why is it important?

Storytelling is an intricate part of the human psyche and hence, human history. From childhood, stories play an important role in human development. For instance, humans automatically construct a storyline so that they can associate information. There is research to suggest that storytelling in video games can be beneficial because it can be used to help players identify with characters and their goals, creating a greater sense of immersion, positive feelings, and more physiological arousal. Furthermore, when the content is specific and targeted, these games are well suited for promoting acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of skills and knowledge. Findings such as these hold immense promise in the context of improving social skills for children with ASD. Thus, the use of computers and video games, combined with more traditional storytelling, may serve as hopeful tools for motivating and engaging students as well as promoting learning.

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