Using social media to be 'social': Perceptions of social media benefits and risk by autistic young people, and parents.
Autistic youth love social media’s low-pressure talk yet stay scared of online cruelty—build safety lessons into every social-skills plan.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Gillespie-Smith et al. (2021) talked with 17 autistic teens and young adults plus 16 parents. They asked how the youth use Instagram, TikTok, and Discord. The team recorded open-ended interviews and grouped answers into themes.
What they found
Youth said social media feels easier than face-to-face chat. They can edit messages and take time to reply. Yet the same youth worry about mean comments, strangers, and screenshots. Parents echo both views: online friends help practice social skills, but cyber-risk keeps them up at night.
How this fits with other research
Lyall et al. (2014) surveyed autistic adults and found the same plus: online talk boosts comprehension and control. Karri’s 2021 interviews extend those survey numbers by showing the worries stay strong even while benefits grow.
van Schalkwyk et al. (2018) counted that a large share of high-functioning autistic teens report recent bullying. Karri’s youth name the same fear, just inside phones instead of hallways. The setting looks different, but the social risk pattern repeats.
Mamimoué et al. (2024) review links poor social relationships to rising depression in autistic adolescents. Karri’s data add a digital layer: online rejection or exclusion could feed that same depression pathway.
Why it matters
If you write social-skills goals, fold in online safety the same way you teach street crossing. Ask clients to show you their favorite apps. Practice privacy settings, polite DMs, and what to do if a stranger gets pushy. Pair digital etiquette with in-person role play so the skill travels across screens and cafeterias.
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02At a glance
03Original 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.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104081