Use of social media by parents raising autistic children in East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Bikitsha, Tina Sisanda
- Date: 2025-04-04
- Subjects: Autism spectrum disorders South Africa , Autism spectrum disorders in children South Africa , Mothers of children with disabilities South Africa , Social media South Africa East London , Digital divide South Africa East London , Digital literacy
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/480128 , vital:78399
- Description: This study investigates how local parents use social media platforms, focusing on the platforms they use, how they access them, the barriers they face, and the effectiveness of social media in supporting them. Using a qualitative approach and informed by the theoretical frameworks of digital divide and digital literacy, semi- structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants (parents and caregivers), the majority of whom resided in an urban area with one from a township. The findings reveal that social media, especially WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube, play an important role in providing emotional support, connecting parents with similar challenges, and information sharing. However, the effectiveness of these platforms is restricted by factors such as high data costs, frequent power outages (loadshedding), limited digital literacy, disinformation, and a lack of South Africa-based online autism support groups. Additionally, the research reveals a gender disparity in social media engagement, with fewer fathers joining online support groups. Recommendations include developing relationships with policymakers to reduce data costs and enhance digital access, creating locally appropriate resources and digital literacy initiatives to improve social media accessibility for South African parents and caregivers of autistic children and, addressing the under-representation of male participants. Future research should include recruiting more fathers and caregivers, particularly in low socioeconomic regions like the Eastern Cape, and parents who lack access to social media due to financial and digital literacy challenges, to better understand their use of social media as parents or caregivers raising children with autism. The researcher’s own experience as a parent of an autistic child provides a unique perspective, which allows a more empathic and authentic understanding of the experiences of the interviewed parents. , Thesis (MSocSci) -- Faculty of Humanities, Journalism and Media Studies, 2025
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2025-04-04
- Authors: Bikitsha, Tina Sisanda
- Date: 2025-04-04
- Subjects: Autism spectrum disorders South Africa , Autism spectrum disorders in children South Africa , Mothers of children with disabilities South Africa , Social media South Africa East London , Digital divide South Africa East London , Digital literacy
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/480128 , vital:78399
- Description: This study investigates how local parents use social media platforms, focusing on the platforms they use, how they access them, the barriers they face, and the effectiveness of social media in supporting them. Using a qualitative approach and informed by the theoretical frameworks of digital divide and digital literacy, semi- structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants (parents and caregivers), the majority of whom resided in an urban area with one from a township. The findings reveal that social media, especially WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube, play an important role in providing emotional support, connecting parents with similar challenges, and information sharing. However, the effectiveness of these platforms is restricted by factors such as high data costs, frequent power outages (loadshedding), limited digital literacy, disinformation, and a lack of South Africa-based online autism support groups. Additionally, the research reveals a gender disparity in social media engagement, with fewer fathers joining online support groups. Recommendations include developing relationships with policymakers to reduce data costs and enhance digital access, creating locally appropriate resources and digital literacy initiatives to improve social media accessibility for South African parents and caregivers of autistic children and, addressing the under-representation of male participants. Future research should include recruiting more fathers and caregivers, particularly in low socioeconomic regions like the Eastern Cape, and parents who lack access to social media due to financial and digital literacy challenges, to better understand their use of social media as parents or caregivers raising children with autism. The researcher’s own experience as a parent of an autistic child provides a unique perspective, which allows a more empathic and authentic understanding of the experiences of the interviewed parents. , Thesis (MSocSci) -- Faculty of Humanities, Journalism and Media Studies, 2025
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2025-04-04
An interpretative phenomenological analysis of mothers’ experiences raising an autistic child
- Authors: Hewson, Aimee Jessica
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Autism spectrum disorders South Africa , Autism spectrum disorders in children South Africa , Mothers of children with disabilities South Africa , Phenomenological psychology , Qualitative research , Interpretative phenomenological analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/190725 , vital:45022
- Description: There has been an increasing research focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the experiences of those affected by autism. Previous research has demonstrated that mothers experience difficulties in all spheres related to their autistic child. Mothers were focused on exclusively in this study as previous research found that it is mostly mothers who take on the primary caring role for their children. As a result, this research aimed to explore the perceptions and experience of six South African mothers raising their ASD child. This research used a qualitative research approach and an interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology. Two semi-structured interviews were held with each participant, with interviews being audio recorded. After analysis, five themes were found, namely: (1) learning their child has a condition or diagnosis, (2) learning and sharing about ASD, (3) the mothering experience, (4) interventions and cost and (5) supportive resources. Careful anonymisation choices were made in this research to ensure the anonymity of participants as best as possible, due to the recruitment through a gatekeeper organisation and snowball sampling. The main findings of this study were that mothers experienced difficulties and challenges as they navigated the medical world in search of a diagnosis for their child. Mothers also reported following their intuition when it came to their children’s care, interventions, and schooling. The passage of time was a significant issue to mothers, as they described several delays and waiting periods. Mothers also described their concerns regarding their children’s future and the fact that their child would be dependent on them and would not be able to form autonomous mature relationships with others. They also reported various thoughts on disclosing their child’s diagnosis to their children. This research, therefore, added to and expanded upon South African literature on the experiences of mothers raising their ASD child. Concurring with previous research, this project found that mothers experience many challenges in the raising of their ASD child. , Thesis (MSocSci) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-10-29
- Authors: Hewson, Aimee Jessica
- Date: 2021-10-29
- Subjects: Autism spectrum disorders South Africa , Autism spectrum disorders in children South Africa , Mothers of children with disabilities South Africa , Phenomenological psychology , Qualitative research , Interpretative phenomenological analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/190725 , vital:45022
- Description: There has been an increasing research focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the experiences of those affected by autism. Previous research has demonstrated that mothers experience difficulties in all spheres related to their autistic child. Mothers were focused on exclusively in this study as previous research found that it is mostly mothers who take on the primary caring role for their children. As a result, this research aimed to explore the perceptions and experience of six South African mothers raising their ASD child. This research used a qualitative research approach and an interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology. Two semi-structured interviews were held with each participant, with interviews being audio recorded. After analysis, five themes were found, namely: (1) learning their child has a condition or diagnosis, (2) learning and sharing about ASD, (3) the mothering experience, (4) interventions and cost and (5) supportive resources. Careful anonymisation choices were made in this research to ensure the anonymity of participants as best as possible, due to the recruitment through a gatekeeper organisation and snowball sampling. The main findings of this study were that mothers experienced difficulties and challenges as they navigated the medical world in search of a diagnosis for their child. Mothers also reported following their intuition when it came to their children’s care, interventions, and schooling. The passage of time was a significant issue to mothers, as they described several delays and waiting periods. Mothers also described their concerns regarding their children’s future and the fact that their child would be dependent on them and would not be able to form autonomous mature relationships with others. They also reported various thoughts on disclosing their child’s diagnosis to their children. This research, therefore, added to and expanded upon South African literature on the experiences of mothers raising their ASD child. Concurring with previous research, this project found that mothers experience many challenges in the raising of their ASD child. , Thesis (MSocSci) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-10-29
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