Investigating “social time” in autism to develop a smartphone app: a co-produced consultation with specialist psychologists and psychotherapists
Mental Health and Digital Technologies
ISSN: 2976-8756
Article publication date: 30 April 2024
Issue publication date: 29 May 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Although increased social time is associated with healthier lifestyles, autistic people often present in therapy with social time difficulties. Given the growing interest in digital interventions and their applicability for autistic individuals, a social time app could be beneficial to support autistic people to manage social time, but there is limited research in this field, especially that which involves people with lived experience. The purpose of this study was to use co-production to conduct consultations with expert clinicians about the relationship between autism and social time, and the future development of a smartphone app to monitor and support social time in autistic people.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative methodology investigated clinicians’ views on the relationship between autism and social time and potential development of a social time app. Clinicians (N = 8) participated in semi-structured interviews facilitated by a researcher with lived experience of autism.
Findings
Participants were psychologists and psychotherapists from a specialist autism service. Thematic analysis identified factors associated with social time, such as differences with neurotypical populations, need for balance with non-social time and gender differences. According to participants, advantages of social time were connecting with people and forming relationships, whereas challenges were limited social skills, anxiety and anger and frustration. Suggested features of an app were a user-friendly design, psychoeducational components and prompts and reminders. Potential advantages of the app were support outside of therapy, support in therapy and monitoring emotional responses, whereas challenges were task completion and personalising content.
Originality/value
Findings reinforce the importance of a balance between social and non-social time for autistic people, which could be monitored and supported using a social time app. Clinicians could incorporate use of this app within psychological therapies to support emotional regulation and general functioning.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the participants for their involvement in this study.
Author confirmation/contribution statement: Simon Riches, Neil Hammond, Marilla Bianco and James Acland conceived the concept and the design of the study. Marilla Bianco conducted the data collection under the supervision of James Acland, Simon Riches and Neil Hammond. Simon Riches, Marilla Bianco, Carolina Fialho, Sarah L. Nicholson and James Acland conducted the analysis. Simon Riches, Marilla Bianco, Carolina Fialho and Sarah L. Nicholson led on writing the manuscript. All authors contributed to and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict of interest statement: There were no conflicts of interest.
Funding statement: There was no funding for this study.
Citation
Riches, S., Hammond, N., Bianco, M., Fialho, C., Nicholson, S.L. and Acland, J. (2024), "Investigating “social time” in autism to develop a smartphone app: a co-produced consultation with specialist psychologists and psychotherapists", Mental Health and Digital Technologies, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 87-98. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHDT-02-2024-0008
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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