Utilizing Social Networks to Analyze Needs of Caregivers of Autistic Individuals

With an increasing number of Individuals with Intellectual Disorders (IID), there is a building concern about the amount of resources available for the families affected. The focus of this research is on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). According to the Center for Disease Control, the prevalence rates have nearly doubled within the last century. This study aims to study what trends are prevalent among caregivers of autistic individuals in terms of why they resort to social networks. This study was conducted by observing an online forum through the social network, Facebook, and collecting a set of one-hundred randomized posts over a time span of thirty-days. Results concluded that families, especially parents, faced risk of psychological distress resulting from isolation and confusion. This has the potential to become a primary avenue for communication within health care industries and families with IID. Future implications of this study regards the importance of social networks in communicating with patients with future research needed in the area of mobile health networks.ye