Using ChatGPT for Story Creation: One Autistic Teen's Autonomous Reading Motivation

ChatGPT has experienced exponential growth in its number of users since its launch in November 2022. Researchers have begun studying early adopters of the text-generating chatbot and have found positive reactions from those who have used ChatGPT for reading and writing. However, this research is still in its infancy and few studies exist on the impact of ChatGPT on reading motivation. No studies have been published on autistic teens’ reading motivation and behavior when using ChatGPT for story generation. Framed by Self-Determination Theory and Cognitive Evaluation Theory, this case study explores one autistic teen’s use of ChatGPT and his resulting autonomous motivation for leisure reading. Findings reveal that ChatGPT-generated stories increased the teen’s intrinsic reading motivation, addressed his personal interest in fictional characters, and strengthened his literacy practices. Parents and educators may consider permitting the use of ChatGPT for story creation by autistic teens to develop their reading motivation and behavior.