Intersections Between the Autism Spectrum and the Internet: Perceived Benefits and Preferred Functions of Computer-Mediated Communication

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

About the autistic author marker

Gillespie-Lynch, K., Kapp, S. K., Shane‐Simpson, C., Smith, D. S., & Hutman, T. (2014). Intersections Between the Autism Spectrum and the Internet: Perceived Benefits and Preferred Functions of Computer-Mediated Communication. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 52(6), 456-469. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-52.6.456

Publication date: 20 Nov 2014 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
5
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 5 (20.0%)

Abstract

An online survey compared the perceived benefits and preferred functions of computer-mediated communication of participants with (N = 291) and without ASD (N = 311). Participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perceived benefits of computer-mediated communication in terms of increased comprehension and control over communication, access to similar others, and the opportunity to express their true selves. They enjoyed using the Internet to meet others more, and to maintain connections with friends and family less, than did participants without ASD. People with ASD enjoyed aspects of computer-mediated communication that may be associated with special interests or advocacy, such as blogging, more than did participants without ASD. This study suggests that people with ASD may use the Internet in qualitatively different ways from those without ASD. Suggestions for interventions are discussed.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 2 Oct 2026 08:03.

Cited references
61
With a DOI
53
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
5
5 / 61 (8.2%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
3 / 61 (4.9%)
References with detected author names
58 / 61 (95.1%)
Without detected author names
3
Without a structured title
3
Without a stable identifier
5
References with raw author names still to review
3
References with external metadata lookup issues
1
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
172
From DOI or external metadata
172
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
4
32 / 172 (18.6%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 140 / 172 (81.4%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
5 / 172 (2.9%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 5 / 32 (15.6%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 4 / 153 (2.6%).
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