In a previous blog post, we talked about how we developed survey questions with our steering group. In this blog post, we will give some more information about the survey.
Why are we doing a survey?
Our project consists of four different phases: 1) survey 2) interview and observations 3) collecting captioned images and 4) workshops with autistic young people and allies. The infographic below provides an illustration of the different phases.
By conducting a survey, we hope to gain a broad overview of how autistic young people use social media to engage with focused interests. The survey will ask questions about the types of social media platforms that people use, the kinds of activities that people like to do online, and how people feel when talking about their areas of interest on social media.
The survey will also help guide the next stages of the project. For example, it can give us an idea of the social media platforms that we could observe in phase 2.
How can I take part in the survey?
The survey is open to anyone in the UK aged 16-26 who identifies as autistic, including people who are on a waiting list for a diagnosis or are self-diagnosed. People under 18 will need to ask a parent or guardian to fill out a consent form on their behalf.
We especially would like to hear from non-speaking or non-verbal people, as well as people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups. These groups are currently under-represented in autism research.
To take part in the survey, visit: https://qmulbusiness.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4SDZuBAW5QHHKHc
Please feel free to share the survey with other people you know. The survey will close on 24th May 2024.
What happens next?
After the survey closes, we will invite selected survey participants to take part in the second phase of the project. Here, we will interview these participants about their social media usage and observe some of their online interactions.
