Supporting Neurodivergent Youth in Navigating Technology and Social Media

Question: What are some strategies for approaching technology use with neurodivergent youth? 

Answer: Thank you for asking these important questions! Social media impacts each person differently, depending on their personality and how they use it. The term “neurodiverse” includes a broad spectrum of individuals, including youth with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and pre-existing mental health conditions, leading to a lot of variation in how these individuals interact with social media and the outcomes they experience.  

Despite potentially more frequent use of technology among neurodiverse children and youth, research suggests that it could be beneficial for them. 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 

On average, children and youth who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to have more frequent technology use than those without a diagnosis and their parents are more likely to report technology as having a positive effect on their child’s life. When asked, adolescents with ASD generally describe their experience with social networking sites as being positive overall.  

Youth and young adults with ASD may have different preferences in social media platforms or sites than neurotypical children, such as using it for entertainment (eg, YouTube) rather than social interaction (eg, Snapchat). Research has also shown that children with ASD are more likely to use therapeutic apps on their devices than children without a diagnosis. That said, social media use can have unique benefits for individuals with ASD, such as better friendship quality and greater security in friendships. In a study that directly interviewed adolescents with ASD, the participants reported using social networking sites to coordinate activities and hold smoother conversations. Additionally, social media can provide an outlet for these individuals to explore unique interests, engage in autism community forums, or join online groups to seek advice or social support.  

While there are many ways that technology can improve the livelihoods of neurodiverse children and youth, there is increased potential for negative consequences:  

• Intense marketing on social media could pose financial risks for users with ASD who are more likely to make online purchases.  
• With the tendency for youth with ASD to literally interpret certain features of social media: 
  • Recurring prompts to engage with “friends” can lead them to perceive users as close friends even if they are strangers, creating safety risks. 
  • Even small missteps online can lead to social isolation. 
  • They may also be at heightened risk of harm from cyberbullying.  

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 

For teens with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), research has found that there may be some association between ADHD symptoms and problematic internet use (PIU).  

Possible explanations for this increased risk for PIU include: 

• Particularly strict or lack of parental monitoring and/or modeling of healthy social media behaviors.  
• Neurobiological differences, such as a preference for immediate rewards, that make features of social media more appealing to adolescents with ADHD.  
• A higher propensity for risk-taking and higher rates of peer rejection that may lead to the display of risk-taking behaviors to seek peer approval and/or excessive Internet use to compensate for impaired offline relationships.  

More research is needed to understand the potential benefits social media can have specifically for adolescents with ADHD beyond general health benefits of social media.  

Pre-existing Mental Health Conditions 

Youth with pre-existing mental health conditions can also experience different benefits and drawbacks of social media use. The anonymity of social media may be particularly beneficial to avoid stigma and provide a way to connect with others who may be experiencing similar challenges. For adolescents with depression, using social media in particularly positive ways, including to explore one’s identity, has been associated with improvement in mood. The presence of online communities can also offer a sense of shared identity, trust, and support that has a positive effect on depression.  

However, adolescents with depression who engage in cyberbullying, negative social comparisons, and other damaging behaviors online may experience worsened symptoms. Other mental health issues in youth, including social anxiety and loneliness, have also been associated with problematic social media use.  

Identifying Problematic Use 

While neurodivergent children may use technology differently and sometimes more often than children without a diagnosis, that does not necessarily mean they are at greater risk for unhealthy use. All children and youth can practice healthy media skills, such as setting boundaries, to help build a healthy and positive relationship with technology use. 

There are techniques that can be used to identify if an adolescent might be experiencing challenges with regulating their technology use. For example, if you notice challenges with children and youth getting sufficient sleep or keeping good grades at school, these are signs that a conversation could be helpful. If you’d like to learn more about the signs of problematic internet use, we have a previous portal question on the topic.  

Tips to Reinforce Healthy Media Practices 

Here are a few tips that you can share with parents to reinforce healthy media practices while acknowledging the needs of a neurodiverse adolescent: 

• Establish clear rules and boundaries. Providing guidelines around sharing information and forming “screen-free” spaces in one’s household can help manage any potentially harmful behaviors, such as excessive social media use. It is also helpful to keep in mind that technology is designed to entertain and keep users engaged for as long as possible. 
  • The 5 C’s of Media Use can be used to help guide conversations between you, your child, and even your provider when determining the kinds of media that feels best for them to see and how often or when to use technology.  
  • The Family Media Plan can also help you and your child or adolescent create shared guidelines about times in the day when media use is welcome. 
• Keep communication open with your child. Asserting strong controls over social media may be ineffective for some groups of neurodiverse children, so having an open dialogue may be a better way to encourage healthy practices. Building a trusting relationship with your child can also ensure that they come to you with any concerns about their social media use. These Conversation Starters for Families About Media provide ideas and examples to help start conversations with tweens and teens about technology, social media, and video games. 
• Educate your child on safe media practices and model this behavior. Neurodiverse children may have a tough time understanding the difference between safe and unsafe social media practices. Parents can help teach these behaviors both through discussion and demonstrations of healthy practices.  

If you or your child feel concerned about media use, your family’s pediatrician or provider can be another great resource to further tailor your family’s guidelines about digital media. Ultimately, the goal is to work together as a family so that technology use feels balanced, supportive, and positive for all children and youth! 

References 

• Alhujaili, N., Platt, E., Khalid-Khan, S., & Groll, D. (2022). Comparison of Social Media Use Among Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Non-ASD Adolescents. Adolescent Health, Medicine and Therapeutics, 13, 15–21.  
• Alon-Tirosh, M., & Meir, N. (2023). Use of social network sites among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: a qualitative study. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1192475.   
• Cardillo, R., Marino, C., Collini, M., Vieno, A., Spada, M. M., & Mammarella, I. C. (2025). Browsing problematic social media use in autism spectrum disorder: The role of social anxiety. Addictive Behaviors, 162, 108225. 
• Cardy, R., Smith, C., Suganthan, H., Jiang, Z., Wang, B., Malihi, M., ... & Kushki, A. (2023). Patterns and impact of technology use in autistic children. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 108, 102253.    
• Dekkers, T. J., & van Hoorn, J. (2022). Understanding Problematic Social Media Use in Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Narrative Review and Clinical Recommendations. Brain Sciences, 12(12), 1625.  
• Eden, S., Heiman, T., Olenik-Shemesh, D., & Yablon, Y. B. (2025). Cyberbullying and problematic internet use in adolescents with ADHD: exploring the relationship with moral disengagement and social skills. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1577900. 
• Halkett, A., & Hinshaw, S. P. (2024). Problematic social Internet use and associations with ADHD symptoms in girls: a longitudinal observational study. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 2850. 
• Kuo, M. H., Orsmond, G. I., Coster, W. J., & Cohn, E. S. (2014). Media use among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Autism, 18(8), 914–923.  
• Lane, R., & Radesky, J. (2019). Digital media and autism spectrum disorders: Review of evidence, theoretical concerns, and opportunities for intervention. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 40(5), 364-368. 
• Lu, Y., Pan, T., Liu, J., & Wu, J. (2021). Does Usage of Online Social Media Help Users with Depressed Symptoms Improve Their Mental Health? Empirical Evidence From an Online Depression Community. Frontiers in Public Health, 8.  
• Nagata, J.M., Huang, O., Hur, J.O. et al. Health Benefits of Social Media Use in Adolescents and Young Adults. Curr Pediatr Rep 13, 22 (2024).   
• O’Day, E. B., & Heimberg, R. G. (2021). Social media use, social anxiety, and loneliness: A systematic review. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 3, 100070.   
• Page, X., Capener, A., Cullen, S., Wang, T., Garfield, M., & J. Wisniewski, P. (2022). Perceiving Affordances Differently: The Unintended Consequences When Young Autistic Adults Engage with Social Media. CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 1–21.  
• Radovic, A., Gmelin, T., Stein, B. D., & Miller, E. (2017). Depressed adolescents’ positive and negative use of social media. Journal of Adolescence, 55, 5–15.  
• Stiller, A., & Mößle, T. (2018). Media Use Among Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 5(3), 227–246.  
• Thorell, L. B., Burén, J., Ström Wiman, J., Sandberg, D., & Nutley, S. B. (2024). Longitudinal associations between digital media use and ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents: A systematic literature review. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(8), 2503–2526.  
• Van Schalkwyk, G. I., Marin, C. E., Ortiz, M., Rolison, M., Qayyum, Z., McPartland, J. C., Lebowitz, E. R., Volkmar, F. R., & Silverman, W. K. (2017). Social Media Use, Friendship Quality, and the Moderating Role of Anxiety in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(9), 2805–2813.  

Age: 10-24 

Topics: Neurodivergent, Autism Spectrum, ASD, ADHD 

Role: Clinician