Exploring Autistic Coping through Participatory Design

Autistic adults find themselves embedded within digital environments that are largely designed by and for neurotypical people. These environments are often unsuitable and challenging for the neurodivergent. As a result, autistic people are exposed to high levels of stress when using digital technologies, and must invest extraordinary effort in coping with it. In this participatory design study, we partnered with 20 autistic adults to investigate how they handle the stress caused by social media use. Their ways of coping and their design work point at the most problematic aspects of the design of social media, and suggest alternative directions for these digital platforms. We conclude that participatory design grounded on autistic coping provides an opportunity for the neuro-diversification of technology design.