Investigating the use of circles in social networks to support independence of individuals with autism

Abstract

Building social support networks is crucial both for lessindependent individuals with autism and for their primary caregivers. In this paper, we describe a four-week exploratory study of a social network service (SNS) that allows young adults with autism to garner support from their family and friends. We explore the unique benefits and challenges of using SNSs to mediate requests for help or advice. In particular, we examine the extent to which specialized features of an SNS can engage users in communicating with their network members to get advice in varied situations. Our findings indicate that technology-supported communication particularly strengthened the relationship between the individual and extended network members, mitigating concerns about over-reliance on primary caregivers. Our work identifies implications for the design of social networking services tailored to meet the needs of this special needs population.

Towards thriving

“…OzCHI 2017, Nov 28 -Dec 1, Brisbane, Australia Human -Nature independence for people with Autism Spectrum Conditions [26]. There is also potential here to harness the educational potential of CCBT and to apply this to the problem of stigmatisation towards those with mental health conditions.…”

Towards Designing Social Question-and-Answer Systems for Behavioral Support of Individuals with Autism

“…Studies of online communities conclude that they can provide those who have low self-esteem and limited social networks with informational and emotional support and social companionship [7]. A notable example of computer-mediated social support includes a cross-platform social networking site that links young adults on the autism spectrum with an online circle composed of family, close friends, relatives, and a few selected acquaintances [15]. Despite the benefits of the social media technologies, users with autism experience specific barriers to adopting them due to their difficulties in understanding social norms and managing trusted and healthy online interpersonal relationships [7].…”

“…Among the discussion boards presented in Table 1, we excluded discussion boards that were website-specific (1, 2), those mainly used by family and friends of individuals on the spectrum (5) or researchers (6), and one for amusement (15). Thus, we focused on ten discussion boards (3,4,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14) in which the forum users discuss their everyday experiences, concerns, and challenges.…”

“…Thus, the population bias on the forum may lead to a limited perspective on problem-solving. According to a study of a social networking service use for young adults with autism [15], participants valued the diversity of answers provided by online network members that came from a broad range of backgrounds. Furthermore, the perspectives offered by a variety of individuals is an important resource for dealing with complex social situations.…”

Improving Social and Communication Skills of Adult Arabs with ASD through the Use of Social Media Technologies

“…In addition, a more recent study considered the use of a supportive social network aiming to provide young adults and adolescents with ASD the opportunity to gain support from a group of family and friends, instead of over-relying on one caregiver. The idea was to use circles (a feature in social networks that combines a group of people interested in a particular topic, or people with a common social connection) in order to seek information and advice, and build independence [24]. These studies showed that including social networks in assistive technologies could bring their benefits to the life of an individual with ASD.…”