Towards Digital Independence: Identifying the Tensions between Autistic Young Adults and Their Support Network When Mediating Social Media

Title of the Paper

Towards Digital Independence: Identifying the Tensions between Autistic Young Adults and Their Support Network When Mediating Social Media

Bibliographic Information

• Subject Area: Research on barriers to human-computer interaction and social media use support
• Keywords: Autism, social media, mediation, boundary turbulence, digital independence

Research Background and Problem

• Identified Issues or Challenges:
  Autistic young adults face heightened risks and challenges when using social media, including increased vulnerability to victimization, difficulty navigating complex social dynamics, and challenges in setting appropriate boundaries. These issues are exacerbated by their different perceptions of social media functionalities compared to neurotypical users. Existing literature has yet to thoroughly explore autistic users' self-regulation and the role of their support networks (including parents, social workers, and family members) in mediating their social media use.

• Importance of the Problem:
  As social media becomes an integral part of modern social interaction, developing adaptive and safe mechanisms for autistic users is increasingly critical. While social media can significantly enhance their emotional well-being, social connections, and authentic self-expression, it also poses risks that may harm their overall well-being.

• Research Motivation and Related Work:
  This study aims to integrate research findings from the field of human-computer interaction and theories of social media boundary regulation to explore how autistic young adults and their support networks address challenges related to boundary adjustment and privacy rule-setting when managing social media risks.

Proposed Solution

• Proposed Methods or Solutions:
  The authors conducted an ethnographic study involving interviews with 28 participants, including 9 autistic young adults requiring substantial daily support, 6 parents, and 13 support personnel.
  The study employed Wisniewski's TOSS framework (Technology and Online Social Support) to analyze autistic users' self-regulation techniques and Petronio's Communication Privacy Management (CPM) theory to examine the dynamics of boundary turbulence.

• Innovative Aspects of the Solution:

  1. This study is the first to delve into the boundary regulation and turbulence issues between autistic young adults and their broader support networks, including the adoption of privacy rules by autistic users and the mediation role of the support network.
  2. It highlights how autistic young adults use simple rules to regulate their behavior on social media, as well as their difficulties with impulse control and reliance on external support in social interactions.
  3. The study reveals that, unlike adolescents, autistic young adults rarely seek privacy independence and instead tend to rely on their support network unless they fear punishment.

• Implementation Steps and Key Techniques:
  The study employed qualitative analysis methods to conduct theory-driven coding of interview data, combined with data-driven thematic analysis to extract key findings. A coding schema was developed to specifically evaluate autistic young adults' self-regulation (TOSS framework), mediation strategies by the support network (Valkenburg framework), and the dynamics of boundary turbulence (CPM theory).

Research Findings

• Specific Findings:

  1. Autistic young adults create simple rules for self-monitoring, such as only accepting friend requests from people with mutual friends or using straightforward methods to block bullying (e.g., blocking users). However, many of these rules lack nuance. For instance, they might rely solely on the requester's response to assess trustworthiness, which is often insufficient.
  2. Support networks employ various mediation strategies, including Immediate Mediation, Delayed Mediation, and Technology-Mediated Mediation, to help autistic users address impulse control and socio-emotional challenges.
  3. For problematic behaviors by users, support networks often adopt restrictive mediation strategies, such as limiting device use or blocking accounts. However, these approaches may hinder autonomy and reduce transparency in support.

• Advantages Compared to Existing Solutions:
  Unlike general studies on adolescent social media use mediation, autistic young adults primarily rely on their support networks rather than strongly pursuing privacy or attempting to hide their social media activities. The study emphasizes the importance of collaborative mediation and how support approaches can be reshaped to meet the specific needs of autistic users.

• Experimental or Evaluation Results:
  Autistic young adults exhibit less interest in asserting privacy control and are more inclined to seek actionable guidance and collaborative problem-solving assistance. Support networks that adopt non-punitive approaches are more effective, particularly when avoiding overly restrictive methods that could provoke resistance from users.

• Limitations and Future Directions:
  This study focuses primarily on autistic young adults requiring substantial support. Future research should address a more diverse population, including more independent autistic users. Additionally, further studies should systematically explore the specific effects of different mediation strategies and extend the research to autistic users in varied cultural and sociopolitical contexts.