Mallorca researcher tests story videos for autism
A researcher at the University of the Balearic Islands in Palma, Mallorca, helps test story videos for children aged three to seven with autism or language difficulties: the study finds they get better at putting the key parts of a tale in order. The university reported the findings on 16 October 2026. Júlia Florit took part in the study, led by Pompeu Fabra University.
A capybara, first without words
The children watched videos of a capybara tackling challenges in three stories. Each story came first without dialogue, using gestures and movement. A second version added words. The team also made story materials in Catalan, which the university says had been scarce.
Sixteen children practised in nine individual sessions over more than a trimester, mostly with a speech and language therapist. With a professional guiding them, they retold parts of the stories or narrated new ones.
What the children scored
The researchers assessed the children’s spoken storytelling before and after the sessions. At the end, the children who had practised scored 3.77 out of 6 when telling a new story. Children without additional needs scored 4.04; children with language disorders in the comparison group, who had not used the method, scored 2.29.
The researchers say they still need to check whether the differences last. They say the method could also be used in schools and therapy settings, provided the people involved coordinate their work.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com