Social Communication Research Articles

Developing a Measure of Financial Privacy: A Pilot Study of U.S. College Students

This study applied communication privacy management (CPM) theory to develop a new measure of financial privacy, encompassing three dimensions of ownership, permeability, and linkages. The exploratory factor analysis was based on a pilot survey of 371 U.S. college students. The development of this scale was motivated by previous research establishing links between financial literacy, financial socialization, and family communication patterns to suggest the importance of understanding and measuring the role of communication and privacy in the transmission of financial knowledge. Therefore, correlations are also presented between the new measure of financial privacy and measures of financial knowledge, confidence, and experience. The financial privacy scale attained adequate validity and reliability to encourage further refinement and utilization in future theoretical and practical research related to family financial socialization.

Exploring the job resources experienced by employees with hearing impairment in South Africa

Orientation: The United Nations Agenda of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 8, and specifically target 8.5, highlights the employment of people with disabilities (PWD). The current study sheds light on job characteristics that employees with hearing impairments (EwHIs) experience as job resources.Research purpose: This study aimed to explore the aspects that EwHIs might regard as job resources within the South African context.Motivation for the study: The paucity of research in South Africa on disability matters in the workplace, and EwHIs in particular, served as motivation for this study.Research approach/design and method: This study used an exploratory, qualitative research approach and the social constructivism paradigm to explore the job resources of EwHIs in South Africa. In addition, a descriptive phenomenological design was used to deeply understand the participants’ lived experiences. Participants (N = 14) were identified with a purposive sampling technique and data were collected with open-ended, deaf-friendly questionnaires. Inductive qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data.Main findings: Firstly, EwHIs learn from subordinates and work associates. Secondly, constructive social affiliation, learning and challenges seem to motivate EwHIs. Lastly, task accomplishment is facilitated by adequate communication, orientation and assistance.Practical/managerial implications: The findings of the current study have implications for policy, practice and decision-making. Broadly stated, the learning, motivation and task completion of EwHIs are functions of social integration and effective communication in the workplace.Contribution/value-add: This study is the first of its kind in South Africa and provides insight into job characteristics that EwHIs regard as job resources.

“Very Misunderstood”: Self-Perceived Social Communication Experiences of Autistic Young Adults

Historically, society has labeled social communication differences in autistic individuals as disordered by comparing them to the social communication behaviors of the predominant non-autistic population. This study explores how autistic young adults view their social communication experiences and how their differences impact them when navigating social situations in predominantly non-autistic environments. This qualitative study utilized purposive sampling to recruit 15 autistic adults aged 18–28 in the United States. All participants were conversation-level speaking communicators and high school graduates. Each participant engaged in an individual semi-structured, conversational interview with the first author via Zoom video conferences between November 2019 and June 2020. The data analysis identified inductive themes through interpretive phenomenological analysis. Five major themes emerged from the data that captured the challenges of autistic adults: (a) “Communication definitely is a struggle at times”, (b) “if it’s a very comfortable situation, then it’s fine”, (c) my communication style has “been very misunderstood”, (d) “I have to learn people”, and (e) “we’re all human. Autistic too, we’re still human”. The participants’ experiences suggest that differences in their communication style and social behavior resulted in overwhelming feelings of uncertainty and marginalization as they put great effort into engaging with non-autistic individuals.

Application of social media communication for museum based on the deep mediatization and artificial intelligence.

Based on deep mediatization theory and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, this study explores the effective improvement of museums' social media communication by applying Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) technology. Firstly, the social media content from four different museums is collected, a dataset containing tens of thousands of images is constructed, and a CNN-based model is designed for automatic identification and classification of image content. The model is trained and tested through a series of experiments, evaluating its performance in enhancing museums' social media communication. Experimental results indicate that the CNN model significantly enhances user participation, access rates, retention rates, and sharing rates of content. Specifically, user participation increased from 15 to 25%, reflecting a 66.7% rise. Content coverage increased from 20 to 35%, showing a 75% increase. User retention rate rose from 10 to 20%, indicating a 100% increase. Content sharing rate increased from 5 to 15%, reflecting a 200% rise. Additionally, the study discusses the model's performance across various museum types, batch sizes, and learning rate settings, verifying its robustness and wide applicability.

Autism Transition to Adulthood Groups (ATAG): protocol for a feasibility RCT of a new peer-group intervention to promote successful transition to adulthood for autistic young people

IntroductionAutism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition diagnosed on the basis of differences in social communication, interaction and repetitive behaviours, including sensory sensitivities. Autistic individuals without intellectual disabilities often face barriers...

A Critical Analysis of Supported Employment for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): The Employment Status Quo of Young Adults with ASD in Guangzhou

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by challenges in social communication and the presence of repetitive and stereotyped behaviors. Due to impediments in typical communication channels and deficits in adaptive behaviors, young adults with ASD are among the most difficult groups to integrate into society and the workforce. To better integrate young adults with ASD into society and enhance their job skills, this paper analyzes the status quo of the employment of young adults with ASD in Guangzhou. It identifies issues faced in employment and societal integration, proposes solutions for supported employment to improve their social adaptability, and aims to alleviate the employment challenges faced by young adults with ASD.

Review of structural neuroimaging and genetic findings in autism spectrum disorder- a clinical perspective.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by deficits in social relationships and communication and restrictive, repetitive behaviors and interests. ASDs form a heterogeneous group from a clinical and genetic perspective. Currently, ASDs diagnosis is based on the clinical observation of the individual's behavior. The subjective nature of behavioral diagnoses, in the context of ASDs heterogeneity, contributes tosignificant variation in the age at ASD diagnosis. Early detection has been proved to be critical in ASDs, as early start of appropriate therapeutic interventions greatly improve the outcome for some children. Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used in the diagnostic work-up of neurodevelopmental conditions, including ASDs, mostly for brain malformations detection. Recently, the focus of brain imaging shifted towards quantitative MRI parameters, aiming to identify subtle changes that may establish early detection biomarkers. ASDs have a strong genetic component; deletions and duplications of several genomic loci have been strongly associated with ASDs risk. Consequently, a multitude of neuroimaging and genetic findings emerged in ASDs in the recent years. The association of gross or subtle changes in brain morphometry and volumes with different genetic defects has the potential to bring new insights regarding normal development and pathomechanisms of various disorders affecting the brain. Still, the clinical implications of these discoveries and the impact of genetic abnormalities on brain structure and function are unclear. Here we review the literature on brain imaging correlated with the most prevalent genomic imbalances in ASD, and discuss the potential clinical impact.

Curating activist journalism to defy China’s “mainstream” narrative on X (Twitter)

ABSTRACT This article foregrounds the great translation movement (GTM), initially mobilised on X (formerly Twitter) in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as an example of activist journalism countering China's 'mainstream' narrative of the war and its broader implications. Using Fairclough’s dialectical-relational approach, adapted to the specifics of social media communication, we examine GTM postings throughout the first calendar year of the war, highlighting how the GTM evolves into a broader activist-journalistic initiative that challenges the party-state beyond its involvement in the war. This paradigm of intervention unfolds as GTM activists report on evidential events within China that bear the potential to spark public contention outside of the party-state’s censorship reach. By examining the dialectical relations between reportage and advocacy, this analysis demonstrates how activist journalism constitutes an emerging cross-border civic engagement, challenging a Southern authoritarian regime from the outside. A critical evaluation of activist journalism and its broader societal impacts is also provided, highlighting its progressive potential and future development in the Chinese context and beyond.

A Scoping Review of Existing Policy Instruments to Tackle Overweight and Obesity in India: Recommendations for a Social and Behaviour Change Communication Strategy

Background The Indian government is committed to addressing various manifestations of malnutrition, including overweight and obesity, inorder to improve individual health and well-being. The scoping review aims to map existing national policy instruments (programmes, schemes, regulations and guidelines) addressing overweight and obesity in India and analysing them for Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategies. Methods Systematic identification and selection of policy instruments using ‘Arksey and O’Malley’ framework was conducted from central government ministry websites, between March and June 2023. These instruments focused on nutrition and/or physical activity, targeting specific demographic groups like pregnant women, lactating mothers, children (0-5 years and 5-9 years), or adolescents (10-19 years); excluding those focusing on specific diseases like micronutrient deficiencies, wasting, and stunting. Based on search strategy six policy instruments were included and analysed for SBCC strategies. Results While many policy instruments incorporated SBCC plans; the ‘National Programme for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD)’ stands out as a significant policy initiative specifically targeting the prevention of overweight and obesity within the broader context of Non-Communicable Diseases. It adopts a comprehensive approach addressing key drivers contributing to overweight/obesity across multiple levels of behavioural influence i.e., individual, interpersonal, community and organisation for health promotion. However, there’s need to strengthen SBCC strategies related to prevention and management of obesity, especially screening and counselling, to cover all age groups with a particular focus on adolescents and youth. SBCC strategies can also be incorporated into India’s Integrated Nutrition Support Programme (POSHAN 2.0) and/or Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) under the National Health Mission. Conclusion This paper underscores the necessity for comprehensive strategies to address multifaceted origins of overweight and obesity. The NP-NCD stands out as a noteworthy initiative, and there is considerable potential for other programmes to emulate SBCC strategies to bolster their overall effectiveness. Note : *Policy instruments throughout the paper have been used to cover programmes, schemes, regulations and guidelines.

PEERS® for School-Based Professionals via Zoom as a Pre-Employment Transition Service

Previous research has shown that conversational language predicts vocational independence and friendship development. This study investigated the efficacy of the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) for School-Based Professionals delivered via Zoom as a pre-employment transition service on the social competence of teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The program was administered weekly by vocational rehabilitation counselors via telehealth. A Quasi-experimental pilot design using pre/post-test analysis was used because all students in the vocational rehabilitation case management telehealth group indicated a desire to participate in the PEERS® training, leaving none available to form a comparison group. Results indicate a decrease in the severity of ASD symptomatology regarding social communication and an increase in conversational skills associated with vocational independence. They were invited to and hosted more get-togethers with peers who shared their interests, a measure of future collegiality. Implications for individuals on the autism spectrum and employment transition service providers are discussed.

Aesthetics of Negative Communication: Conflicts of Journalists and Officials

Introduction. The article proposes an aesthetic aspect of describing communication between journalists and politicians. The dramaturgical, image and consumer contexts of media communication, which, in our opinion, contain an aesthetic component, are problematized. An aesthetic look at the topic traditionally attributed to political science or sociological fields of knowledge allows us to see aspects of human activity that are perhaps less noticeable, but no less influential on the reproduction of the social order. Methodology and sources. The analysis of the situations discussed in the article is implemented in the tradition of interpretive sociology, which considers social communication as a constitutive factor in the behavior and activities of people. The principles of dramaturgical sociology of I. Hoffmann, theoretical observations of authors working in the field of symbolic politics, conceptual reasoning set out in F. Ankersmit’s essay “Political Representation” are used, in particular the term “representation” he uses in relation to the politician. Results and discussion. Situations that can be classified as negative communication between journalists and politicians were selected for analysis. The latter is defined as an action that can provoke negative emotions and feelings of communication participants, and thus disorient them regarding the development and consequences of the communicative situation. The obtained research results confirm that the concept of “negative communication” allows us to capture not only the emotional mode of professional activity and interprofessional communication of politicians and journalists, but also to offer an aesthetic view of professional communication. Conclusion. Situational analysis of conflicts in a professional environment, implemented in the tradition of interpretive sociology, reveals their spectacularity, predicting the forms of experience, and allows us to consider them, on the one hand, as works of art, on the other, as moral stories for social education. Aesthetic political representation is the most important need of any civil society, and its implementation is inextricably linked with political education.

How to Utilize University Nursing Clinic Resources Successfully to Transition Autistic Adolescents into Higher Education

ABSTRACTAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is exhibited through a wide‐range of symptoms including social interactions, communication deficits, limited interests, and repetitive behaviors (e.g., stimming). The prevalence of autism amongst children and adolescents continues to grow with 1 in 36 diagnosed annually (CDC, 2024). Because autism often comes with a myriad of comorbidities (e.g., sleep disorders, seizure activity, nutritional imbalances, gastrointestinal issues, and mental health disorders), children and adolescents are often prescribed medications and/or treatments to help with the management of these chronic diseases. Croen et al., (2006) found that adolescents are six times more likely to be hospitalized than their neuro‐typical peers. Managing autism takes a multi‐disciplinary approach. Navigating a large university system, academics, and being away from home can be challenging for any teenager. But, adding the complexity of managing a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder on top of the new environment could potentially be overwhelming for the autistic adolescent. It makes sense to use all available resources when transitioning into a college setting. Registered nurses (RN) and advanced practice nurses (APN) are employed at university clinics to help manage student healthcare issues including acute healthcare problems (e.g., viruses), traumatic issues, and chronic healthcare issues. This paper will examine how nursing professionals can assist autistic adolescents when they are entering into a college environment by managing medications and other treatment modalities while being a student advocate within a multi‐disciplinary team.

Social communication in modern society: experience of empirical research

This article was prepared by a team of authors of the sociological faculty of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov as part of a series of events dedicated to the 270th anniversary of Moscow University. The article was based on the processed and analyzed data of the sociological study “Social Communication in Modern Society: Essence and Features”, conducted by employees of the Sociological Faculty of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov under the guidance of the Dean of the Sociological Faculty of Moscow State University, Professor N.G. Osipova in April–May 2024. As part of the study, a total of 401 students of the sociological faculty of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov. Particular emphasis in the study was placed on the study of the features of the understanding by students of the sociological faculty of the very fact of the transition of mankind in its development to a new stage for it — the electronic-digital era, as well as the features of social communication and the opportunities that they acquired, thanks to the onset of this era. The study revealed a generally positive attitude of students to the process of the formation of an electronic-digital society, the active introduction of digital technologies into the daily life of a modern person, without which young people can no longer imagine their existence. At the same time, their active immersion in virtual reality, which is provided and actually created by new media, especially social networks and instant messengers, naturally led to the emergence of Internet addiction, gadget addiction, as well as to uncritical comprehension of the information that they receive from these sources. Naturally, this has a very negative effect on the formation of their life attitudes, landmarks, which are largely consumer in nature, and also makes them a very convenient object for destructive propaganda and manipulative influence.

Ideas of Russian students about the essence, types and methods of propaganda: based on the results of empirical research

This article is devoted to the comparison and analysis of a number of results of sociological studies conducted at the sociological faculty of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov in February 2024 and in April–May 2024. As part of a February 2024 pilot study conducted by standardized interview method, 42 under graduate (48%) and graduate (52%) students of the Faculty of Sociology were selected. The age of 36% of respondents was in the range of 17–18 years, 52% from 19 to 22 years, 12% — from 23 to 26 years. As part of a sociological study conducted at the Faculty of Sociology of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov in April–May 2024, a sociological study “Social communication in modern society: essence and features” a total of 401 students of the sociological faculty of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov. The study was conducted by questionnaire. 401 students of the sociological faculty of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, of which 73,32% of bachelors and 26,68% of masters, which corresponds to the structure of the student body of the sociological faculty. Among the surveyed students, 70,07% were female, and 29,93% were male, which generally corresponds to the overall gender composition of the faculty students. 65,75% of respondents (i.e. almost two thirds of respondents) were young people aged 19 to 22 years, 19,5% — from 23 to 26 years, 14,75% — from 14 to 18 years. As part of these studies, students were asked a number of questions, including those aimed at identifying their ideas about the essence of the phenomenon of propaganda, types of propaganda, perception of propaganda, destructive and constructive propaganda. Research results have shown that in the student environment as a whole, incorrect and vague ideas about the essence of the phenomenon of propaganda, its various types and methods, as well as the negative attitude of respondents to the phenomenon of propaganda itself prevail, which is clearly visible in a number of detailed definitions of this phenomenon given by them. A significant part of students primarily associates the concept of propaganda with the concepts of “imposition”, “manipulation”, primarily because of the prevailing neoliberal ideologies in social networks and instant messengers, popular among young people, that young people themselves are not particularly aware of. Nevertheless, they state the fact that there is an acute ideological struggle in the Russian Federation and an active neoliberal ideology in modern Russia.

The Use of Social Media in Public Diplomacy in US and China

This paper examines the different social media strategies adopted by the US and China’s use of public diplomacy in-depth, shedding light on how cultural, political and technological factors influence their strategies. The US prioritizes communication and transparency, reflecting its democratic values, while China emphasizes narrative control and image control. Through comparative analysis, the study highlights the importance of domestic factors in social media communication and emphasizes and reflects the evolving global transnational environment in the digital age. Both countries actively fight misinformation, albeit with different objectives. The study recommends conducting further comparative analysis, adapting to emerging trends, and developing strategies to combat disinformation in digital communication. Understanding the nuances of social media in today’s digital age is essential for enhancing research, policy, and diplomatic practices.

A novel USP51 variant in a patient with autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy

BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social communication and repetitive behaviours. The genetic basis of ASD is complex and involves both rare variants with large effect sizes and common variants with small effect sizes.Case presentationThis case report describes a 19-year-old male with ASD, intellectual disability, absent speech, and epilepsy. Molecular testing revealed a novel maternally inherited variant in the USP51 gene, which encodes Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 51, a deubiquitinating enzyme involved in the DNA damage response.ConclusionsBased on current knowledge, the variant is predicted to result in a truncated protein and is considered a variant of uncertain significance (VUS). The USP51 gene has been implicated in neurodevelopment, and its role in the developing brain suggests its potential relevance to ASD. Further studies are needed to establish the association of USP51 variants with ASD and elucidate the full phenotypic spectrum associated with these variants.

Commercial Wearables for the Management of People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) necessitates comprehensive management, addressing complex challenges in social communication, behavioral regulation, and sensory processing, for which wearable technologies offer valuable tools to monitor and support interventions. Therefore, this review explores recent advancements in wearable technology, categorizing devices based on executive function, psychomotor skills, and the behavioral/emotional/sensory domain, highlighting their potential to improve ongoing management and intervention. To ensure rigor and comprehensiveness, the review employs a PRISMA-based methodology. Specifically, literature searches were conducted across diverse databases, focusing on studies published between 2014 and 2024, to identify the most commonly used wearables in ASD research. Notably, 55.45% of the 110 devices analyzed had an undefined FDA status, 23.6% received 510(k) clearance, and only a small percentage were classified as FDA Breakthrough Devices or in the submission process. Additionally, approximately 50% of the devices utilized sensors like ECG, EEG, PPG, and EMG, highlighting their widespread use in real-time physiological monitoring. Our work comprehensively analyzes a wide array of wearable technologies, including emerging and advanced. While these technologies have the potential to transform ASD management through real-time data collection and personalized interventions, improved clinical validation and user-centered design are essential for maximizing their effectiveness and user acceptance.

College Students Recognize Characteristics of Autism, but Struggle to Differentiate Between Characteristics of Autism and Other Disabilities.

The current study evaluates whether college students can identify characteristics of autism as diagnostic for autism, and characteristics of other disabilities as not diagnostic for autism. This study also examines metacognitive awareness of autism knowledge, evaluating whether college students can accurately calibrate their confidence in their beliefs about autistic characteristics. 283 college students completed the Autism Symptomatology Knowledge Assessment (McMahon et al. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders 71:101499, 2020). In this assessment, participants were presented with characteristics of autism and other disabilities and asked to identify which characteristics could be used to diagnose someone with autism. For each characteristic, participants indicated how certain they were in their response. Participants more accurately categorized characteristics of autism, particularly social interaction and communication challenges, as being consistent with an autism diagnosis. Participants had more difficulty identifying that characteristics of other disabilities, especially anxiety, ADHD, and learning disabilities, were not diagnostic for autism. For autistic characteristics, participants' confidence and accuracy were positively correlated, such that participants who responded accurately were more confident in their response than those who responded inaccurately. For other disability characteristics, confidence and accuracy were typically not correlated or inversely correlated, indicating poor metacognitive awareness. College students confuse autism with other disabilities, which may have important implications in real-world contexts. Furthermore, individuals with poor metacognitive awareness of their autism knowledge may not realize that they are confusing autism with other disabilities, such that they may not seek out additional corrective information about autism.

Early developmental levels of children with autism spectrum disorder with different adaptive behaviors: a retrospective analysis.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) defines autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in early childhood and is accompanied by social communication deficits and repetitive stereotyped behaviors. According to the monitoring data released in 2021 in the United States, the prevalence of ASD in children was as high as 2.27%; that is, one in 44 children had autism (Maenneret al., 2021). China publicly reported this figure to be around 0.7% (Zhou et al., 2020). The current view is that children with ASD are generally impaired in their adaptation ability (McDonaldet al., 2016; Hodgeet al., 2021; Opertoet al., 2021). Adaptive behaviors comprise the conceptual, social, and practical skills that enable individuals to adapt to the environment, which play an important role in daily life (McDonald et al., 2019). "Adaptive behavior" was first described by Doll (1936). Subsequently, abnormalities in adaptive behavior were included in the criteria for intellectual disability for the first time (Heber, 1961). The American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) has refined and specified this term several times. Researchers hold different opinions on the structure of social adaptive capability. Greenspan and Granfield (1992) divided social adaptive capability into social understanding and social interaction. However, an increasing number of scholars considered that the concept of adaptive behaviors in children was constructed via multiple dimensions. The most representative one among them was the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) proposed by Sparrow et al. (1984). This scale illustrates that adaptive behavior includes communication, daily living skills, socialization, and motor skills. Harrison and Oakland (2003) developed an Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS), by applying the theory of adaptive behavior proposed by AAMR and the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). This system shows that adaptive behavior has three adaptive composites, namely, conceptual composite (including communication, learning function, and self-management), social composite (including leisure and social skills), and practical composite (including community application, home living, health and safety, and self-care). As there are different requirements for the social adaptive capability of children from different cultural backgrounds and various regions, Chinese scholars have translated the Normal Development of Social Skills from Infant to Junior High School Children (S-M) scale compiled by Japanese scholars into Chinese, which is now widely used in China (Zhang et al., 1995). The impairment of adaptive function in children with ASD includes multiple dimensions, such as socialization, communication, and daily living skills (Kanne et al., 2011), and the degree of impairment can predict the prognosis and outcome in real life, including education acquisition and independent living ability (Farley et al., 2009). Therefore, adaptive behavioral capacity is considered to be a key intervention point that directly affects the individual and social outcomes of autistic children (Veenstra-VanderWeele et al., 2017; Bölte et al., 2019).

Book Review: Social Media Theory and Communications Practice by Whitney Lehmann

Book Review: <i>Social Media Theory and Communications Practice</i> by Whitney Lehmann