Remember when your child shared a story that was not their own and was disconnected from that present situation? Don’t worry, it’s a common scenario for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.
Let’s explore why children with autism script others’ stories and how we can help them create their own narratives.
Before we do, make sure you check out your free guide on autism scripting here:
Understanding autism scripting
Many of you who are raising a child with autism have experienced this moment. You attempt to have a connected conversation and feel the moment slip away as your child shares a favorite movie script or a phrase instead of connecting to you.
You may “feel” puzzled by autism scripting, determined by your desire to draw out a connected response. Often, parents feel frustrated because they don’t know how to help their child communicate.
As a speech and language pathologist with 40 years of experience, my passionate mission is to share some proven tips and strategies that can help make this connection a reality.
Steps for overcoming scripting and encouraging original thought
Overcoming scripting behavior requires patience and persistence, but it’s not impossible. Here are some tips I share with parents I work with.
1. Always give choice
Providing choices in all situations encourages your child to make decisions and think independently. For example, ask, “Do you want grapes or apple slices?” This prompts your child to create a mental image and connect it to their response.
2. Encourage interaction with thought pictures
Know that a choice becomes a thought picture, which transforms into the expression of original words. Your child thinks about the two images and anchors one more firmly in their mind as the stronger, personal image.
Next, always know that we talk about what we do. This is the essence of all conversations. Your child owns that thought picture in their head, so it’s time to interact with it.
Move the story forward with a suggestion of what can happen. Lead in phrases are:
”How about…,” “Maybe…,” “I wonder….” Again, your child needs to choose one of your suggestions.
Make a suggestion of what to do with the choice that’s been made. Give time to your child to choose a suggestion to move forward: “How about putting some grapes in a bowl?”
3. Narrate the action story
Watch your child’s action story unfold. Be the narrator who puts the story into words:
“Wow, you picked grapes and put some in your favorite bowl!” This helps reinforce their personal narrative.
Over time, your child may begin to make more personal choices and interact more with the results of these choices. You will also see your child’s personal narrative begin as a natural consequence of their internal thought organization.
Now, just continue the process of personal thought by offering an open-ended phrase:
“Let’s see…what you can do next.”
4. Foster ongoing conversation
Choices and your child’s interactions with them will start happening independently. Keep the story going by sharing, “Let’s see…what you can do next.” This is a great opening line for meaningful communication!
A significant process takes hold as your child moves through multiple, sequenced actions. A full-length movie happens in the mind, and stories get longer. We all love that!
Hello real conversations, goodbye scripting
You can systematically move your child toward personal thought and real, verbal sharing using these simple steps. You have a plan, and your child has their own story to tell.
There’s no need to retell a stored movie conversation from an outside source. Enjoy the journey, and cherish the conversations. This is the stuff life is made of!
This article was featured in Issue 65 – Back-To-School Transitions
FAQs
Q: What is an example of scripting in autism?
A: An example of scripting in autism is when a child recites lines from a favorite movie or TV show instead of responding to a question or engaging in conversation. For example, instead of answering a question about what they want for lunch, they might quote a line from a cartoon.
Q: How do I know if my child is scripting?
A: You can identify scripting if your child repeatedly uses phrases or sentences from external sources, such as movies or books, rather than creating their own responses based on the current situation. Pay attention if their speech does not align with the context of the conversation.
Q: Is scripting different from echolalia?
A: Scripting is a type of echolalia. However, while echolalia generally refers to the repetition of words or phrases without context, scripting involves more extended and contextually specific phrases or entire dialogues from external sources.
Q: How should you respond to autistic scripting?
A: Respond to autistic scripting by gently redirecting the conversation back to the current topic and encouraging your child to express their own thoughts. For example, after your child quotes a movie line, you might say, “That’s a great line! What do you think about having pizza for dinner tonight?”
Q: How to stop autistic scripting?
A: To reduce autistic scripting, encourage your child to make choices and use their own words by giving them time to think and respond. Implement strategies like offering choices, providing prompts, and engaging in interactive activities that foster original thought and personal expression.
References
Wichnick-Gillis, A.M., Vener, S.M. and Poulson, C.L. (2019), Script fading for children with autism: Generalization of social initiation skills from school to home. Jnl of Applied Behav Analysis, 52: 451-466. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.534
Akers, J.S., Pyle, N., Higbee, T.S. et al. A Synthesis of Script Fading Effects With Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A 20-Year Review. Rev J Autism Dev Disord 3, 1–17 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-015-0062-9
Alison M. Wichnick-Gillis, Susan M. Vener, Claire L. Poulson, The effect of a script-fading procedure on social interactions among young children with autism, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Volume 26, 2016, Pages 1-9, ISSN 1750-9467, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2016.03.004.
