Talk Through Tales: Exploring Parent-Led Storytelling to Enhance Communication Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often experience challenges in communication, language development, and social interaction, which can affect their daily functioning and quality of life. Parent-led interventions have gained increasing attention because they enable families to provide consistent communication support within the child’s natural environment. This study explored the effectiveness of parent-led storytelling as a home-based intervention for enhancing communication skills in children with ASD. A mixed-method research design was employed involving 10 children aged 4–10 years and their families over a six-week intervention period. At least one parent or primary caregiver participated in each family, while both parents actively engaged in the storytelling sessions in four families. Parents were guided to use picture books, story retelling, and scaffolded questioning to encourage expressive language, vocabulary development, and narrative skills. Quantitative data were collected through pre-and post-intervention communication assessments, and qualitative data were gathered from parental observation logs and semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated improvements in expressive vocabulary, receptive understanding, turn-taking, joint attention, and spontaneous verbalization. Parents also reported increased confidence in supporting their children’s communication, stronger parent-child interaction, and greater engagement during storytelling activities. The study suggests that parent-led storytelling is a practical, culturally adaptable, and cost-effective home-based intervention that can support communication development in children with ASD. The findings highlight the importance of empowering families as active partners in early communication intervention and offer practical implications for educators, clinicians, and researchers interested in family-centered approaches to autism support.