Socialization, Education, and Learning for the Internet (SELFI): A Pilot RCT of a Social Media Skills Group Program for Autistic Adults.
Anthony Osuna, Katie Sabini, Eryca Yamane and 4 others
PMID 37584764WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic adults rated this Facebook skills group as enjoyable and helpful for confidence.
Half showed improved online engagement compared to none on the waitlist, but no significant differences appeared in social media anxiety or utility.
Key findings
01The program was feasible and acceptable, with high satisfaction ratings and 82.8% mean attendance among those who enrolled.
0255.5% of participants who completed the trial were rated by peers as having improved Facebook engagement, compared to 0% of the waitlist group.
03There was no statistically significant difference between groups on the primary clinical outcomes of social media utility and anxiety.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was underpowered with only 25 participants, making it a pilot rather than a definitive efficacy trial. 28% of participants were lost to attrition, reducing the final analysis sample. Participants were aware their Facebook activity would be evaluated, which may have influenced their behavior (Hawthorne effect). The program was developed without input from the autism community, raising concerns about ecological validity and neurodiversity alignment. Strict inclusion criteria excluded individuals with intellectual disabilities or lower verbal abilities, limiting applicability to a broader autistic population.
Declared interests
The text does not report specific funding sources or author conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the significant improvement in peer-rated Facebook engagement as evidence that the program reduces social anxiety or improves overall well-being. The primary clinical outcomes were null, and the study was a small pilot with high attrition.