Online Gaming: An Inside Look at How Interpersonal Relationships are Developed

The study included six participants that often interacted with other gamers online. The participants shared their experience with other users. The online gaming community is often stigmatized, and past studies have overlooked the social interactions that go on within the online community. The study found that online gamers often built strong interpersonal relationships among other gamers. These relationships often transcended outside of the game and even resulted with individuals meeting in person

The Relationship Between Isolation and Social Emotional Experiences in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children with ASD often face socioemotional challenges compared to their typical developing classmates (Chamberlain et al., 2006; Deckers et al., 2017; Liu et al., 2021; Locke et al, 2010; Zeedyk et al., 2015). The objective of the current study was to assess the relationship between classroom isolation and social emotional experiences (i.e., social isolation, loneliness, self-efficacy with peers, and friendship quality) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through self-report surveys in order to foster the best possible academic environment for children with ASD to succeed and create outlets for further research to be developed in regards to this subject. It was hypothesized that children with ASD who are isolated from their peers by being placed in a separate, non-typical classroom setting for longer periods of time (e.g., years vs. months) would feel more isolated and lonely, and have lower perceptions of self-efficacy, and friendship quality. The present study contained four scales assessing social emotional experiences employed on an online, anonymous survey. Analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were used to assess differences between groups of participants based on degree of isolation from the mainstream classroom and the dependent variables feelings of isolation, loneliness, self-efficacy with peers, and friendship quality. While findings of the current study did not exhibit differences between groups on feelings of isolation, loneliness, self-efficacy with peers, and friendship quality specific to conflict and compassion, results of the study did reveal that the longer participants were isolated from the mainstream classroom, the greater sense of friendship and closeness they experienced. Future research is needed to better understand how isolation relates to psychosocial experiences in children with ASD

Loneliness in autistic adults: A systematic review

In this systematic review, we examined quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods studies on loneliness in autistic adults. A total of 1460 articles were identified, and 34 of these met inclusion criteria. Results demonstrated that (1) there is a paucity of qualitative data providing first-hand descriptions of loneliness from autistic adults; (2) few empirical studies have used reliable/valid measures of loneliness developed specifically for autistic adults, and in just one study was a measure of loneliness developed for, and validated in, autistic adults; (3) the collective dimension of loneliness (i.e. belonging in society) has been described by autistic adults, yet has not been investigated as frequently as the intimate (i.e. romantic relationships) or relational (i.e. friend/family relationships) dimensions of loneliness; (4) the factors associated with increased loneliness in autistic adults include autistic characteristics, anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, negative experiences and learned helplessness, a lack of autism understanding and acceptance, sensory avoidance, camouflaging and unemployment; and (5) the factors associated with decreased loneliness in autistic adults include having relationships, participation in social skill interventions and/or experiencing fewer difficulties with social skills, positive views and acceptance of oneself, being female and time spent engaging in activities (e.g. online gaming). Directions for future research are considered

Student Learning and Literacy Practices When Video Games Are Incorporated into a Secondary Classroom

This qualitative study explored high school students’ engagement with a unit where video games and video game materials were incorporated into an English Language Arts classroom. Over several weeks, students engaged with video game content and composed their own video games using the free online platform, Scratch. The purpose of the study was to examine students’ learning during the unit, focusing on students’ products, individual interviews, and whole class and small group discussions. The research questions were: 1. What can be learned about secondary students\u27 learning and literacy practices when video games as a text are incorporated into the secondary ELA classroom? 2. What discourses do secondary ELA students engage when deconstructing and constructing video games as a text within a literacy unit of study? a. How do secondary ELA students disrupt and/or reinforce power laden discourse? This study drew upon inductive qualitative research design (Creswell, 2015) and followed Fairclough’s (1995) methods of Critical Discourse Analysis. Data analysis yielded key findings. First, students transferred learning from traditional print text to video games to other forms of media that they engage with outside of the classroom. Second, students challenged dominant discourse when centered as thinkers in classroom discourse. The research findings provide insight into how students learn when they engage with video games as a text in the high school setting. The findings have implications for bridging students outside of the classroom practices with learning inside a classroom and provide thought on developing and incorporating critical literacy units that incorporate multiple and varying media and texts within classrooms

The Role of Boredom, Loneliness, and Technology Use as Predictors of Sexual Responsibility among Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictors of sexual responsibilities (i.e., sex positivity and sexual health as well as sexual risk responsibility) for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The predictors examined included boredom, loneliness, online risk behavior, intent to use dating apps/websites for casual sex, and intent to use dating apps/websites for romance. Gender differences in sexual responsibility subscales were also explored. ANOVAS yielded women with autism exhibited more sexual responsibility on both subscales than men. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine significant predictors of Sex Positivity and Sexual Health as well as Sexual Risk Responsibility for the population of interest. Loneliness significantly predicted Sex Positivity and Sexual Health via an inverse relationship. Online Risk Behavior and Intent to Use Dating Apps for Casual Sex predicted Sexual Risk Responsibility via an inverse relationship. Finally, three significant moderation relationships were found. Boredom was found to moderate the relationship between Online Risk Behavior and Sexual Risk Responsibility as well as the relationship between Intent to Use Dating Apps/Websites for Romance and Sexual Risk Responsibility. Loneliness also moderated the relationship between Intent to Use Dating Apps/Websites for Romance and Sexual Risk Responsibility. Notably, emotions significantly moderated relationships between technology use variables and Sexual Risk Responsibility only at average and above average levels of emotions. Limitations, implications for counselors, and directions for future research are discussed

Towards a better understanding of loneliness in autistic adults: examining measurement tools and lived experiences

Loneliness is a universal feeling that people might feel when there is a gap between the ideal and actual states of their social relationships. Historically, it has been thought that autistic people do not have a desire for social connection and instead show a preference for aloneness. However, recent research, coupled with first-hand accounts of autistic individuals, has shown that not only do autistic people experience loneliness, but they may be particularly vulnerable to it (e.g., due to the challenges they experience in social environments and/or due to a lack of supportive environments in which to cultivate social relationships). To date, there has been limited research on loneliness in autistic adults. In this thesis, I used both quantitative and qualitative methods to further our current understanding of loneliness in autistic adults, with a focus on examining the measures used to assess loneliness in autistic adults, as well as autistic people’s lived experiences of loneliness. In Chapter One, I introduce my motivation for this research as a neurodivergent individual and provide an overview of research into both autism and loneliness. In Chapter Two, I use a systematic review to synthesise the current evidence base on loneliness in autistic adults, and to identify gaps in research that can guide subsequent work. In Chapter Three, I use mixed-methods to examine if, and how accurately, existing measures of loneliness capture the experiences of autistic adults. In Chapter Four, I use qualitative methods to explore the unique experience of loneliness in autistic adults. In Chapter Five, I use mixed- methods to investigate experiences of loneliness in autistic adults before, and during the early stages of, the COVID-19 pandemic. In Chapter Six, I discuss the contributions of my research to knowledge on autistic adults’ experiences of loneliness, outline future directions for such work, highlight the strengths and limitations of my research, and present my personal reflections

Protecting the online safety, security and privacy of autistic children and young people

The aim of this PhD thesis was to investigate how autistic children and young people experience online safety risks and what could help them to navigate such risks in the future. In Study 1, two groups of parents (autistic children, n = 63; non-autistic children, n = 41) completed an online survey about their child’s online safety behaviours and wellbeing. Study 2 involved semi-structured interviews with 14 autistic young people aged 11-17 years investigating their first-hand accounts of their online safety experiences. Study 3 piloted two low-fidelity prototype solutions to common online safety scenarios with 11 autistic young people aged 11-18 years, who fed back how these could be improved to help keep themselves safe in the future. Results indicated that autistic children experienced significantly more online safety risks than non-autistic children and poorer wellbeing than autistic children who did not experience online safety risks.. Secondly, autistic young people reported being victims of cyberbullying and online sexual harassment and a desire for more design support to block online comments and/or individuals. Thirdly, autistic young people fed back that visual cues in low-fidelity prototypes of online safety solutions were beneficial in informing their online safety risk management. To conclude, this PhD thesis highlights that autistic children and young people are at risk pertaining to certain online safety risks. The findings will benefit designers looking to develop online safety interventions in ways that autistic children will both accept and can actively benefit from. This research will shape the direction of future interventions and policy for this population and thus will help to protect autistic children and young people online

Disruptive Play or Platform Colonialism? The Contradictory Dynamics of Google Expeditions and Educational Virtual Reality

This paper provides an exploratory case study Google Expeditions(GE), a virtual reality (VR) toolkit designed for the classroom, and its roll-out in the UK through the “pioneer program”. Drawing from existing research on Google, platform studies, and interdisciplinary work on the digital landscape, this paper examines the conflicting tensions around the logic of Google for Education (GFE) and the tangled user experiences of GE within a higher education context. Findings are drawn from participant observation of a one day GE trial; participant observation of 396 people’s mostly first-time experience with GE; a post-trial survey with those predominantly first-time users (N = 100); and participant observation of invite-only GFE events organized by Apps Events on GFE’s behalf. In addition to providing a detailed insight into the roll-out of a rising educational Google product, findings suggest GE engages contradictory dynamics. On one hand, users experience exciting, disruptive play, and on the other, the pioneer program extends Google’s platform empire, colonizing educational space and those within it