Social Media and Cyber-Bullying in Autistic Adults.
Paraskevi Triantafyllopoulou, Charlotte Clark-Hughes, Peter E Langdon
PMID 34799787WHAT IT FOUND
Most autistic adults used social media daily.
Higher cyber-bullying victimisation was linked to more time online and lower self-esteem, particularly when feeling excluded. Cyber-aggression was rare. These are associations, not proof that time online causes harm.
Key findings
01Thirty one percent of participants reported experiencing cyber-bullying victimisation in the past 2-3 months, compared to 2.7% who engaged in cyber-aggressive behaviours.
02Self-esteem was positively related to the number of online friends and seeing oneself as part of an online community, but negatively related to being excluded or ignored by others on social media.
03Time spent on social media was a statistically significant predictor of cyber-bullying victimisation, but was not a significant predictor for cyber-aggression.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample size was small (78 participants), limiting generalisability. Participants were volunteers recruited via online autism forums, which may introduce selection bias if those with higher social media use or more negative experiences were more likely to respond. All data were self-reported, relying on participants' perceptions and memories. The sample was predominantly female (55.1%), which contrasts with the typical 3:1 male-to-female ratio in autism diagnoses, potentially affecting generalisability. Cognitive ability and autism severity were not assessed, though educational levels suggest many had average to high cognitive abilities. The study design is cross-sectional, so it cannot establish causality between social media use and cyber-bullying or self-esteem. Data collection occurred in 2017-2018, before the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have changed online social dynamics.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study received ethical approval from the University of Kent.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that reducing social media time will directly improve self-esteem or stop cyber-bullying. The study shows associations, not cause and effect. Furthermore, social media was a primary source of connection for these adults, so blanket restrictions may isolate them further. Focus on the quality of online interactions and support for coping with victimisation.