Cartooning

Comic Strip Conversations

As one type of visual strategy, a comic strip conversation developed by Gray is an illustrated ongoing communication by drawing situations or short conversations between two or more people. This strategy helps individuals who have difficulties in understanding social situations or interactions identify “what other people say and do.” Furthermore, Comic strip conversations enable the person to understand “what other people might think” through the process of drawing with other people.

Although no studies have been conducted to validate the steps that should be used in cartooning, recommendations have been made on the sequence of its use. Specifically, Gray proposed the following guideline for users:

• 1.
  Introduce the concept of cartooning as well as its component parts (i.e., thought bubbles) to the student. The adult demonstrates how to draw situations while talking.
• 2.
  Draw small talk. After introducing cartooning, it is helpful to start with small talk to ensure rapport before beginning to illustrate a social situation.
• 3.
  Draw the given situation. The following information should be gathered:

  • Where were you?
  • Who else was there?
  • What were you doing?
  • What happened?
  • What did other people do?
  • What did you say?
  • What did other people say?
  • What did you think when you said that?
  • What did other people think when they said that/did that?
• 4.
  Interpret the cartoon and ensure that student understands the depicted situation.

Six studies have been conducted on cartooning and/or its elements; each is unique in the manner in which it investigated the impact of this intervention. All had positive findings.

The first investigation on cartooning was by Candida Peterson and Michael Siegal, who conducted a study to determine whether individuals with autism spectrum disorders could understand theory of mind using standard cartoon thought bubbles; all participants correctly identified the role of thought bubbles as an aid in interpreting the depicted situation. The authors inferred that participants could recognize (a) the meaning of thought bubbles, (b) the function and use of thought bubbles related to an unknown reality, (c) the diversity of thoughts (different people can have different thoughts).

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