How are School-aged Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Digital Media? A Qualitative Study of Families' Lived Experiences.
Deanna Pennewitt, Aubrey Borgen, Megan Warfle and 3 others
PMID 41711264WHAT IT FOUND
Families described digital media as a double-edged sword.
It offers relief, deep interest exploration, and social connection, but creates safety concerns and caregiver guilt. Rules must be highly individualized and flexible, as one-size-fits-all restrictions fail in diverse home and school settings.
Key findings
01Caregivers and children viewed digital media as a 'double-edged sword,' providing necessary emotional regulation and skill-building opportunities while simultaneously causing safety concerns and parental shame.
02There is no single effective approach to media rules; caregivers reported that restrictions must be fluid and tailored to the specific child and household context.
03Children used digital media primarily to explore intense specific interests and to retreat from stressful real-world demands, rather than just for passive entertainment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was highly educated and racially diverse, but may not represent families with fewer resources or different cultural backgrounds. No formal language screening was performed, so children with limited language skills may be underrepresented. No children with intellectual developmental disorder were included, limiting generalizability to that population. Selection bias is possible, as caregivers with stronger opinions or challenges regarding digital media may have been more likely to participate.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the National Institute on Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the average daily use of 4.3 hours as a universal problem requiring strict reduction. The study found that for these families, media often served a positive regulatory or educational function. Blanket restrictions may ignore the individual needs of the child and the context of the family.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →