{"title":"Socialization via Online Gaming: Perspectives of Five Autistic Adolescents and Their Parents","authors":"","doi":"10.1007/s10826-023-02727-5","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Abstract</h3> <p>This study investigated whether autistic adolescents are socially motivated to play Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) and sought to explore whether parents’ perceptions of MMORPGs and the closeness of the parent-child relationships’ impact upon gaming habits. In a qualitative-based study, we explored the perspectives of five pairs of autistic adolescents and one of their parents. The themes identified through adolescent interviews indicated that autistic adolescents who play MMORPGs perceive that in-game socializing enhances their gaming experience which motivates them to socialize with other players and facilitates development of friendships. The themes derived from interviewing parents indicated that parents perceive social benefits to playing MMORPGs for their child, but there are factors that impact their support of socializing via gaming such as their own game use, attitudes towards socializing via games, and the amount of time their child spends gaming. This study’s findings suggest that playing MMORPGs can potentially enhance quality-of-life for autistic adolescents through increased socialization and friendships and highlights the importance of the parent-child relationship and how this supports autistic adolescents to develop socially. However, as there were no parent-child pairs reporting low closeness, the transferability of these findings may be limited to parent-child pairs with close relationships. This research indicates that parents who play games alongside their autistic child are more likely to be more understanding of, and acknowledge, the social benefits of gaming in helping their child develop socially. These findings have implications for the development of cost-efficient, accessible interventions to facilitate socialization.</p>","PeriodicalId":48362,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child and Family Studies","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Child and Family Studies","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02727-5","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"FAMILY STUDIES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study investigated whether autistic adolescents are socially motivated to play Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) and sought to explore whether parents’ perceptions of MMORPGs and the closeness of the parent-child relationships’ impact upon gaming habits. In a qualitative-based study, we explored the perspectives of five pairs of autistic adolescents and one of their parents. The themes identified through adolescent interviews indicated that autistic adolescents who play MMORPGs perceive that in-game socializing enhances their gaming experience which motivates them to socialize with other players and facilitates development of friendships. The themes derived from interviewing parents indicated that parents perceive social benefits to playing MMORPGs for their child, but there are factors that impact their support of socializing via gaming such as their own game use, attitudes towards socializing via games, and the amount of time their child spends gaming. This study’s findings suggest that playing MMORPGs can potentially enhance quality-of-life for autistic adolescents through increased socialization and friendships and highlights the importance of the parent-child relationship and how this supports autistic adolescents to develop socially. However, as there were no parent-child pairs reporting low closeness, the transferability of these findings may be limited to parent-child pairs with close relationships. This research indicates that parents who play games alongside their autistic child are more likely to be more understanding of, and acknowledge, the social benefits of gaming in helping their child develop socially. These findings have implications for the development of cost-efficient, accessible interventions to facilitate socialization.
期刊介绍：
Journal of Child and Family Studies (JCFS) international, peer-reviewed forum for topical issues pertaining to the behavioral health and well-being of children, adolescents, and their families. Interdisciplinary and ecological in approach, the journal focuses on individual, family, and community contexts that influence child, youth, and family well-being and translates research results into practical applications for providers, program implementers, and policymakers. Original papers address applied and translational research, program evaluation, service delivery, and policy matters that affect child, youth, and family well-being. Topic areas include but are not limited to: enhancing child, youth/young adult, parent, caregiver, and/or family functioning; prevention and intervention related to social, emotional, or behavioral functioning in children, youth, and families; cumulative effects of risk and protective factors on behavioral health, development, and well-being; the effects both of exposure to adverse childhood events and assets/protective factors; child abuse and neglect, housing instability and homelessness, and related ecological factors influencing child and family outcomes.
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号
