Teaching children with autism to tell socially appropriate lies

Three children with autism learned to tell polite white lies. The team used rules, role-play, and feedback. They ran a multiple-baseline across kids.

Examples: saying “I like it” to an ugly sweater or “You look great” after a bad haircut.

All three kids quickly learned the kind lies. They used the lies with new people and new gifts. The skills held up without extra practice.

Pierce et al. (1994) and Radogna et al. (2024) show BST also works for adults. They taught job-interview answers and workplace chat. The core package stays the same; only the age and skill change.

Callahan et al. (2022) moved BST to Zoom. Adults with NDD learned virtual meeting skills. It proves BST travels across screens and cultures.

Shin et al. (2021) used the exact four-step package on parents. Parents mastered DTT, kids gained learning. Same method, new learners—another replication of the sturdy model.

You can add “polite lie” lessons to social-skills groups. A short script plus quick role-play is all you need. Try it before birthday parties or family visits to save kids from hurt feelings and social fallout.