Internet use and digital participation in everyday life : Adolescents and young adults with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Background: Internet use is an integral part of everyday life in contemporary society, especially among young people. It is used to perform activities in everyday life by an increasing proportion of the population. However, knowledge about access to and use of the internet by adolescents and young adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) is scarce. More knowledge is needed about digital competencies and digital participation in their everyday lives. Aim:The overall aim of this thesis was to explore and describe internet access and use, and digital participation in everyday life among adolescents and young adults with intellectual disabilities. Designs and Methods:The thesis is based on results from three studies. In study I, the focus was on access to and use of the internet in the everyday settings of school/work, at home or during t free time. Data was collected through observations, conversations, and follow-up interviews with 15 participants with ID, aged 13-24 years. The data was analysed using qualitative content analysis. In studies II and III, the design was cross-sectional and comparative, using national surveys on media and internet use from the Swedish Media Council, from which comparative data from reference groups could be gained. In study II, the national survey of adolescents on internet access and use was cognitively adapted for adolescents with ID in several steps. This made it accessible to a total selection of pupils with ID, aged 13-20 years, from all the special schools in four diverse municipalities in two different regions of Sweden. In study III, the national survey of parents about opportunities and risks of internet use by their adolescents was used. The surveys were sent to a sample of n=318 adolescents with ID and their caregivers/parents. The responses were higher for the adolescents (n=114) than for the parents (n=99), and the response rate of the adolescents with ID was equivalent as that of the reference group, at 36% and 38% respectively. In study II, chi-square tests were used and, when necessary, Fisher's exact test to analyse the data. In study III, analyses were carried out using Fisher's exact test and logistic regression to control for confounding factors.Results: This thesis show that access to internet-enabled devices is lower for adolescents with ID than for the general population, except for tablets

The Test of Problematic Using of the Internet—Adaptation of the Instrument for a Group of People With Mild Intellectual Disability and a Preliminary Analysis of Its Psychometric Properties

“…Adolescents with intellectual disabilities in terms of Internet use differ from peers with normal intellectual capacity and adolescents with other disabilities, who usually have greater autonomy (Alfredsson Ågren et al, 2020;Plichta, 2023). Therefore, it is important to analyze the functioning of this group of individuals in the virtual space in the context of their potential engagement in risky behaviours, including problematic Internet use (Plichta, 2023).…”

“…Concluding the considerations on the prevalence of problematic Internet use among adolescents, we can reasonably say that, so far, both in Poland and abroad, few studies on this problem have been carried out in the group of children and adolescents with intellectual disability (Krzyżak-Szymańska, 2019;Jenaro et al, 2018). This is the case even though these students are active users of new technologies (Alfredsson Ågren, 2020;Caton & Chapman, 2016;Jenaro et al, 2018;Krzyżak-Szymańska, 2019;Plichta, 2013;Sharabi & Margalit, 2011). This is confirmed, among others, by statistics showing that only one is six students with an intellectual disability has no access to a computer, and a fifth does not use the Internet and/or a mobile phone (Plichta, 2017).…”

Online activities for individuals with intellectual disabilities at a day centre in the wake of COVID‐19

“…Variables that affect access to the Internet for persons with intellectual disabilities are individual impairments as well as affordability, education and support (Chadwick et al, 2013 ). In Sweden, individuals with intellectual disabilities have less access to the Internet, smartphones or tablets (Alfredsson Ågren, 2020 ). A Swedish survey (Socialstyrelsen, 2019 ) concludes that only 60% of municipalities offered Internet access in their sheltered accommodations.…”