Todd Cardin

Social scripting is a very useful process that Todd Cardin has become well practiced in. His background in the fine arts allows him to create believable and realistic situations that are easy for children to follow and understand. Good memories and strong focus (which can lead to obsessive actions) make social scripting a worthwhile treatment tool for most children with Asperger’s.

One of the reasons why Todd Cardin’s scripts are so useful is because children with AS, in most cases, will not be able to pick up on proper nuances of social relations by just watching people or participating in the interaction. Social scripts provide a structured and understandable means of mapping out a specific social interaction. These scripts often contain conversation starts, ideas for conversation connection, and proper responses. Their use should be monitored regularly and people should not expect to find scripts for all social interactions. In some cases, it is possible for a person to either sound very rehearsed or to get very confused when extra questions arise in a situation when they did not arise in the script.

Todd Cardin helps to cover this problem by making all social scripts very specific and focused on particular situation. This helps the person understand the exact situation nuances that would normally indicate when the script should be enacted. Scripts are often presented in story form with pictures to encourage visible cues and better understanding. Techniques like these are also a great way to help children prepare for upcoming situations. Children have a better idea of what to expect in situations when they have been practiced in a story.

It is very important that any social scripts only contain the desired behavior. There is no reason to put in what someone should NOT do. Social scripting is a tool used to encourage learning and emphasizing the negative action could result in backwards progression. Stories should be detailed and straight to the point. For example, if the script is about going to a restaurant make sure to mention that someone will lead them to a table, will give them a menu, ask what they want to drink, they will answer, etc. Do not assume that a person with Asperger’s will know parts of a situation that might be obvious to others.

There are many benefits to social scripting. Children can review the stories and scripts in their spare time. Todd Cardin has also adapted scripts to video which gives the child a very specific item to focus on. The combination often results in a faster improvement with certain skills. The scripts also help to reduce any stress, shyness, and awkwardness that can occur when someone is introduced into a situation that they have no idea how to react to. When the scripts are practiced, a sense of reassurance and confidence will help give a child with Asperger’s Syndrome better adapt to anything that may come their way.