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Cited by 52Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchImpact of Technology on AdolescentsChild Development and Digital Technology

Using social media to be ‘social’: Perceptions of social media benefits and risk by autistic young people, and parents

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Gillespie-Smith, Karri, Hendry, Gillian, Anduuru, Nicole, Laird, Tracey, Ballantyne, Carrie·2021·Research in Developmental Disabilities
DOI 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104081
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Abstract

Autistic individuals are reported to struggle with aspects of social interaction. Past research has shown that social media use can help to facilitate social functioning, however, the perceptions of risks and benefits when engaging on social media platforms remains unclear. The current study aimed to explore perceptions of social media participation in terms of online risk and online relationships in both autistic young people and parents. Eight autistic young people and six parents of autistic young people took part in semi-structured interviews, with the resultant data being transcribed and analysed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) inductive thematic analysis. Two themes were identified in relation to the impact social media has on autistic young people's relationships (Socialisation; Communication) and two themes were identified in relation to the perceived barriers and risks to engaging online (Abusive interactions; Talking to strangers). These findings show that social interaction is of particular value to young autistic people, in terms of affording them easier social interactions than there would be in 'real life'. The findings also show that the autistic young people were aware of risks online, and considered ways in which they try to manage this risk. Future research is needed to understand if similar interactions and risk take place across all platforms and whether online communication is successful between matched or mixed autistic and non-autistic groups.

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  • Digital platforms remove barriers such as loud environments, unexpected physical contact, and rapid conversational shifts, allowing autistic individuals to interact at their own pace and in a controlled setting.

    “Digital platforms remove barriers such as loud environments, unexpected physical contact, and rapid conversational shifts, allowing autistic individuals to interact at their own pace and in a controlled setting [47].”

    From The Impact of Social Media & Technology on Child and Adolescent Mental Health (2025) · cites this paper as [47]

    Section 3.2 (Communication; page unavailable) reports that interaction behind a screen can reduce distracting face-to-face demands, including eye contact, and make communication easier for autistic young people. The paper does not identify loud environments, unexpected physical contact, or rapid conversational shifts as barriers removed by digital platforms, nor does it establish that users can interact at their own pace in a controlled setting. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Online communication provides an accessible way to engage socially for individuals with ASD who have adversity with sensory challenges of face-to-face interactions.

    “Online communication provides an accessible way to engage socially for individuals with ASD who normally have adversity with the sensory challenges of face-to-face interactions.”

    From The Impact of Social Media & Technology on Child and Adolescent Mental Health (2025) · cites this paper as [47]

    Section 3.2 (Communication; page unavailable) says online interaction made socialising easier for participants by reducing distracting aspects of face-to-face conversation, including eye contact and social cues. Section 4 (Discussion; page unavailable) likewise describes benefits for autistic people who struggle with in-person social demands. The paper does not specifically identify sensory challenges as the reason for those benefits. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Gillespie-Smith, K., Hendry, G., Anduuru, N., Laird, T., & Ballantyne, C.
Affiliations
University of the West of Scotland (GB)
ORCID
Venue
Research in Developmental Disabilities
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2021-11
Volume
118
Pages
104081
ISSN
0891-4222 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104081
OpenAlex
W3197755368
Cited by
52
References
10
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1
FWCI
3.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Research in Developmental Disabilities (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • The UWS Academic Portal (University of the West of Scotland) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Edinburgh Research Explorer (University of Edinburgh) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
  • Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, autistic youth, social media use, online risk perception, online relationships, social interaction, socialization, online communication, parents of autistic children, online safety
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Autistic Disorder, Humans, Parents, Perception, Risk Assessment, Social Media

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