While the increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorder in recent years is considered a positive development, the uncontrolled nature of the digital world has brought about a new and dangerous trend. Children and adolescents have started self-diagnosing autism based on content they see on social media.
Instructor Mitra Niazi from the Occupational Therapy Department of Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences made a significant contribution as an author to the book titled “Clinical Perspectives on Recent Trends in Autism Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment,” published by the international academic publisher IGI Global.
In the book, the chapter written by Instructor Mitra Niazi, titled “Unmasking Autism in the Digital Age: Occupational Therapy Responses to Social Media-Informed Self-Diagnosis in Children,” addresses one of the most complex issues of our era from an occupational therapy perspective.
“Social media narratives profoundly affect children’s identity formation”
Instructor Mitra Niazi, pointing out that mainstream media and digital platforms have completely reshaped the perception of autism, evaluated the impact of informal diagnostic narratives circulating on social media on children with these words:
“Today, digital platforms have become the fastest yet unfiltered sources for accessing information about autism. In our research, we specifically examined how social media narratives affect children's identity formation processes. Many children and adolescents, based on short videos they watch or personal experiences they read on online platforms, believe they have symptoms of autism and proceed to self-diagnose. This situation not only complicates clinical encounters but also leads to tensions in family dynamics, different reactions at the societal level, and serious ethical dilemmas.”
“Our aim is not to invalidate the experience, but to offer evidence-based support”
In the book chapter, Niazi, drawing a roadmap for how clinicians and occupational therapists should respond to this new situation, emphasized the necessity of a balanced approach and continued as follows:
“One of the biggest challenges we face in clinical practice is correctly managing these self-diagnosis claims shaped by social media narratives. Here, there is a critical line in terms of occupational therapy practices. We must absolutely not disregard or invalidate children's lived experiences, the differences or difficulties they feel. However, this validation process cannot be left to online tests lacking scientific basis or the discourses of phenomena. What needs to be done is to affirm the child's experience while firmly grounding interventions and the actual diagnosis in a meticulous, evidence-based clinical assessment and professional support.”
A digital age guide for professionals
Instructor Mitra Niazi’s work serves as a guide for health professionals, educators, and policymakers working in this challenging area where digital culture intersects with child development. The chapter also provides guiding strategies for future clinical practices and research in the increasing digital clinical landscape.
Niazi summarized the objective of her study with these words: “We can no longer exclude the impact of the digital world on children from our clinical practices. With this study, our aim is to develop inclusive, ethical, and evidence-based strategies against this new 'self-diagnosis' phenomenon brought about by the digital age, without compromising scientific rigor in clinical decision-making processes.”
Global scientific production from Üsküdar University
This academic contribution, which brings a current, critical, and multidimensional perspective to autism assessment, diagnosis, and treatment processes, constitutes a significant example of Üsküdar University’s vision of high social sensitivity, focus on current issues, and leadership in international scientific literature. This work, which will be a reference for professionals, clinicians, and academics, presents a strong scientific stance against the challenges brought by digitalization in the field of autism.
“There are those who change specialists until they get the diagnosis they want”
The general clinical findings in the book's preface also reveal how justified Instructor Mitra Niazi's warnings are. It is stated that behind the sharp increase in autism diagnosis rates in the last decade lies not only increased awareness but also a cultural tendency towards 'identity-based' explanations of behaviors.
In the book's introductory chapter, it is emphasized that the neurological and developmental fundamental structure of autism has not changed, but the concept is being attempted to be made 'infinitely flexible' under the influence of social media, with the following striking findings:
“The number of individuals consulting specialists with a strong belief shaped by social media narratives rather than clinical evidence is rapidly increasing. Moreover, individuals who do not receive an autism diagnosis from one specialist begin changing specialists (doctor shopping) until they get the validation they desire. Terms like 'masking' or 'neurodiversity,' popularized on social media without empirical evidence, blur differential diagnosis and lead to autism being confused with other psychiatric or personality-based conditions.”
In this context, the book aims to re-establish the concept of autism, whose boundaries are increasingly blurred, on a scientific and rigorous clinical basis, without belittling lived experiences.
A multidisciplinary and international perspective on autism
The book, for which Instructor Mitra Niazi authored the 8th chapter, is not limited to the issues brought by the digital age. The 9-chapter work, prepared by an international panel of authors, multidisciplinary discusses current diagnostic and treatment debates regarding autism spectrum disorder within the context of medicine, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and art:
Dr. Sanam Hafeez (Chapters 1 and 2) addresses the historical process of autism from DSM-III to the present and the complexity of seeking diagnosis during adolescence/adulthood. Kyriaki Stavrou (Chapter 4) examines how neurobiological and behavioral approaches can be integrated into clinical diagnosis.
Scott M. Sokol (Chapter 3) analyzes the intersection and comorbidity rates between autism and gender diversity; while Ryan Tessier (Chapter 5) focuses on the co-occurrence of autism and bipolar disorder, one of the most challenging topics for clinicians.
Mogulla Archana and her team (Chapter 6) describe "parent-mediated early intervention" as a cost-effective solution in resource-limited areas.
Preeti Shrinivas Ganachari (Chapter 7) discusses physiotherapy trends in motor and sensory dysfunction; while Dunola Tri Nugraeni and her team (Chapter 9) present the "transformative" power of Javanese folkloric theatre in developing empathy and social skills in children with autism to the scientific literature.
