Online spaces can provide bodily comfort, relief and inclusion for some autistic people, study says

Online spaces can provide comfort, relief and inclusion for some autistic adults, and provide important means for expression and for connecting with others, a new study published in Autism in Adulthood says.

Researchers say online communities—including communication apps, social media, and gaming platforms—can provide enriching, authentic and comfortable forms of self-expression and connection for some autistic adults, including a physical ease that is not always available in face-to-face settings.

The findings challenge assumptions that in-person interaction is always inherently preferable or superior for everyone, and could be useful for those helping to make online spaces more accessible.

Autistic adults who took part in the research said during face-to-face interactions they were constantly monitoring their body and movements, often leaving them feeling scrutinized and exhausted. But when socializing online, they could feel physically more unburdened because they did not feel the need to monitor their body in the same way.

Participants were clear that online spaces are not problem-free. But relief from bodily scrutiny opened something up—they felt more free to express themselves and connect genuinely.

David Ekdahl, from Aarhus University, Denmark, and Joel Krueger, from the University of Exeter, carried out the study. Dr. Ekdahl undertook in-depth online interviews with 11 autistic adults living in North America and Europe as part of the study.

The study purposefully focused on interviews with autistic adults who were relatively experienced and comfortable users of the internet, and each participant could choose the form of communication for the interview they felt most comfortable with online.

Dr. Ekdahl said, “In-person social situations often have unspoken rules and expectations most of us take for granted. These tend to favor certain body types and ways of communicating, leaving others at a disadvantage.

“In-person social situations routinely made participants feel self-conscious about their bodies, and worried about being misunderstood. Online spaces are not magical, but for the participants, they provided a possible shelter from scrutiny, allowing them to direct their attention towards the interaction rather than on how they look or move.

“Online spaces also allowed participants more freedom to decide when and how to interact. They could log off, mute others, or take breaks. This sense of agency or control was harder to come by in face-to-face settings.”

Professor Krueger said, “Our findings show in-person communication is not always more valuable. It can be noisy and busy, and autistic people can feel isolated and judged if their physical movements and communication styles are different.

“Online spaces allow for social flexibility, options to step back, and different ways to express oneself, all of which might, for some autistic internet users, serve as important sources for connection and well-being.

“Instead of assuming online interactions lack value and are less authentic, it is important to realize they can also be empowering and, for some, essential.”