The Relationships Among Autism Spectrum Disorder Traits, Loneliness, and Social Networking Service Use in College...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Communication Studies

Background:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social communication challenges.
• Loneliness is a significant concern among college students, impacting mental health.
• Social Networking Services (SNS) are integral to modern social interaction, particularly for young adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the interplay between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits, loneliness, and social networking services (SNS) usage patterns.
• To identify specific SNS communication behaviors associated with ASD traits and loneliness.
• To understand the role of SNS in social connection for individuals with varying levels of ASD traits.

Main Methods:

• Development of a questionnaire assessing LINE usage manners, including factors like low literacy, inactive use, low responsiveness, lack of consideration, and low group activity.
• Application of structural equation modeling to analyze the relationships between ASD traits, communication skills, SNS usage manners, and loneliness.
• Assessment of college students' self-reported ASD traits and their SNS interaction behaviors.

Main Results:

• Difficulties in attention switching and low communication skills correlated with "low literacy" in SNS use.
• Low social skills were associated with "inactive use" of SNS.
• "Low literacy" and "inactive use" of SNS were significant predictors of loneliness.
• Inappropriate SNS manners among students with higher ASD traits were linked to increased feelings of loneliness.

Conclusions:

• SNS can facilitate friendship maintenance and enhancement, but individuals with higher ASD traits may exhibit maladaptive usage patterns.
• Poorly chosen SNS communication strategies among students with elevated ASD traits are associated with heightened loneliness.
• Interventions targeting SNS communication skills may be beneficial for college students with ASD traits to mitigate loneliness and improve social integration.