Abstract
Although research on young people’s identification processes on the Internet is a growing field, few studies illustrate conditions for young people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Previous studies have shown that young people with ID are worried about being marginalized, and that many in fact are lonelier than other young people. Internet and social networking sites might be of vital importance as a space for exploring alternative and less stigmatized identities. This article reports findings from individual interviews with 27 young people with ID in Sweden. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using a thematic content analysis. A prominent finding concerned the informants being well aware of both risks and opportunities using Internet and Social Networking Sites. Consequently, the more they interacted with non-disabled peers, the more they experienced negative consequences of Internet use. These circumstances rather lead to downsizing than upsizing Internet use, and less participation on Social Networking Sites. The experiences of the informants are discussed in a conceptual framework of social identity, participation, and emancipation. We recommend that social work practitioners reflect upon the ways that support can be arranged in order to empower young people with ID to participate on the Internet.
Highlights
Research on young people’s identification processes on the Internet is a growing field, few studies illustrate conditions for young people with intellectual disabilities (ID)
In this article we refer to intellectual disability in terms of the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) put forward by Schalock et al (2010): “Intellectual disability is characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour as expressed in conceptual, social and practical adaptive skills
The results of our study shed light on how the Internet and social networking sites (SNS) can contribute to both more and less participation for young people with ID. This could be viewed as a paradoxical development for young people with ID when, as Chadwick et al (2013) point out, “in terms of self-expression, the Internet affords an opportunity for people with disabilities, including ID, to present themselves outside of their disability, having the option to disclose, or not, their disabled identity at will” (p. 385)
Summary
Research on young people’s identification processes on the Internet is a growing field, few studies illustrate conditions for young people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Scandinavian research has shown that a new generation of young people with ID is emerging who have developed somewhat new ways of relating to issues of participation and identity (Löfgren-Mårtenson, 2005; 2008; Mineur, 2013; Molin, 2008). These strategies mainly concern the possibilities of expressing alternative selfpresentations, which are not necessarily connected to a specific functional impairment or a certain welfare institutional belonging (e.g., special need student or care user) (Molin & Gustavsson, 2009). Risk and protection online for people with ID have yet to be adequately investigated and these currently serve as reasons given for hindering people from gaining online access. (pp. 390391)
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