Are autistic children more vulnerable online? Relating autism to online safety, child wellbeing and parental risk management

Kirsty Macmillan; Tessa Berg; Mike Just; Mary Stewart

doi:10.1145/3419249.3420160

Are autistic children more vulnerable online? Relating autism to online safety, child wellbeing and parental risk management

Kirsty Macmillan, Tessa Berg, Mike Just, Mary Stewart

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Many autistic children are active online users. Research suggests that they are subject to distress and poor wellbeing following online safety threats. However, it is unclear if autistic children are more likely to experience online safety risks compared with non-autistic children. We conducted a parental online safety survey. Two groups of parents (autistic children, n=63; non-autistic children, n= 41) completed questionnaires about their child's online safety behaviours, wellbeing, and their own parental self-efficacy (PSE). Our results highlight that autistic children experience significantly more online safety risks than non-autistic children and poorer wellbeing than autistic children who did not experience online safety risks. Parents of autistic children reported carrying out significantly less risk management and reported poorer PSE than parents of non-autistic children. Having an autistic child and parental online safety knowledge were significant predictors of PSE. These results will help inform the co-design of interventions to protect autistic children online.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	NordiCHI '20: Proceedings of the 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Shaping Experiences, Shaping Society
Editors	David Lamas, Hegle Sarapuu, Ilja Šmorgun, Gerd Berget
Place of Publication	New York, US
Publisher	ACM
Pages	1-11
Number of pages	11
ISBN (Print)	9781450375795
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3419249.3420160
Publication status	Published - 25 Oct 2020
Externally published	Yes
Event	NordiCHI '20: 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Shaping Experiences, Shaping Society - Online, Estonia Duration: 25 Oct 2020 → 29 Oct 2020 https://www.nordichi.eu/2020/index.html#/

Conference

Conference	NordiCHI '20: 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
Abbreviated title	NordiCHI '20
Country/Territory	Estonia
City	Online
Period	25/10/20 → 29/10/20
Internet address	https://www.nordichi.eu/2020/index.html#/

Keywords

Autism spectrum disorder
internet
online safety
parental mediation
privacy

Access to Document

10.1145/3419249.3420160

nordichi20a_sub1134_i9Accepted author manuscript, 363 KB

Cite this

Macmillan, K., Berg, T., Just, M., & Stewart, M. (2020). Are autistic children more vulnerable online? Relating autism to online safety, child wellbeing and parental risk management. In D. Lamas, H. Sarapuu, I. Šmorgun, & G. Berget (Eds.), NordiCHI '20: Proceedings of the 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Shaping Experiences, Shaping Society (pp. 1-11). Article 14 ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3419249.3420160

Macmillan, Kirsty ; Berg, Tessa ; Just, Mike et al. / Are autistic children more vulnerable online? Relating autism to online safety, child wellbeing and parental risk management. NordiCHI '20: Proceedings of the 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Shaping Experiences, Shaping Society. editor / David Lamas ; Hegle Sarapuu ; Ilja Šmorgun ; Gerd Berget. New York, US : ACM, 2020. pp. 1-11

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abstract = "Many autistic children are active online users. Research suggests that they are subject to distress and poor wellbeing following online safety threats. However, it is unclear if autistic children are more likely to experience online safety risks compared with non-autistic children. We conducted a parental online safety survey. Two groups of parents (autistic children, n=63; non-autistic children, n= 41) completed questionnaires about their child's online safety behaviours, wellbeing, and their own parental self-efficacy (PSE). Our results highlight that autistic children experience significantly more online safety risks than non-autistic children and poorer wellbeing than autistic children who did not experience online safety risks. Parents of autistic children reported carrying out significantly less risk management and reported poorer PSE than parents of non-autistic children. Having an autistic child and parental online safety knowledge were significant predictors of PSE. These results will help inform the co-design of interventions to protect autistic children online.",

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Macmillan, K, Berg, T, Just, M & Stewart, M 2020, Are autistic children more vulnerable online? Relating autism to online safety, child wellbeing and parental risk management. in D Lamas, H Sarapuu, I Šmorgun & G Berget (eds), NordiCHI '20: Proceedings of the 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Shaping Experiences, Shaping Society., 14, ACM, New York, US, pp. 1-11, NordiCHI '20: 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Online, Estonia, 25/10/20. https://doi.org/10.1145/3419249.3420160

Are autistic children more vulnerable online? Relating autism to online safety, child wellbeing and parental risk management. / Macmillan, Kirsty; Berg, Tessa; Just, Mike et al.
NordiCHI '20: Proceedings of the 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Shaping Experiences, Shaping Society. ed. / David Lamas; Hegle Sarapuu; Ilja Šmorgun; Gerd Berget. New York, US: ACM, 2020. p. 1-11 14.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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AB - Many autistic children are active online users. Research suggests that they are subject to distress and poor wellbeing following online safety threats. However, it is unclear if autistic children are more likely to experience online safety risks compared with non-autistic children. We conducted a parental online safety survey. Two groups of parents (autistic children, n=63; non-autistic children, n= 41) completed questionnaires about their child's online safety behaviours, wellbeing, and their own parental self-efficacy (PSE). Our results highlight that autistic children experience significantly more online safety risks than non-autistic children and poorer wellbeing than autistic children who did not experience online safety risks. Parents of autistic children reported carrying out significantly less risk management and reported poorer PSE than parents of non-autistic children. Having an autistic child and parental online safety knowledge were significant predictors of PSE. These results will help inform the co-design of interventions to protect autistic children online.

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Macmillan K, Berg T, Just M, Stewart M. Are autistic children more vulnerable online? Relating autism to online safety, child wellbeing and parental risk management. In Lamas D, Sarapuu H, Šmorgun I, Berget G, editors, NordiCHI '20: Proceedings of the 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Shaping Experiences, Shaping Society. New York, US: ACM. 2020. p. 1-11. 14 doi: 10.1145/3419249.3420160