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Managing Stress: The Needs of Autistic Adults in Video Calling

Published: 07 November 2019 Publication History

Abstract

Video calling (VC) aims to create multi-modal, collaborative environments that are "just like being there." However, we found that autistic individuals, who exhibit atypical social and cognitive processing, may not share this goal. We interviewed autistic adults about their perceptions of VC compared to other computer- mediated communications (CMC) and face-to-face interactions. We developed a neurodiversity-sensitive model of CMC that describes how stressors such as sensory sensitivities, cognitive load, and anxiety, contribute to their preferences for CMC channels. We learned that they apply significant effort to construct coping strategies to support their sensory, cognitive, and social needs. These strategies include moderating their sensory inputs, creating mental models of conversation partners, and attempting to mask their autism by adopting neurotypical behaviors. Without effective strategies, interviewees experience more stress, have less capacity to interpret verbal and non-verbal cues, and feel less empowered to participate. Our findings reveal critical needs for autistic users. We suggest design opportunities to support their ability to comfortably use VC, and in doing so, point the way towards making VC more comfortable for all.

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    cover image Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
    Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction  Volume 3, Issue CSCW
    November 2019
    5026 pages
    EISSN:2573-0142
    DOI:10.1145/3371885
    Issue’s Table of Contents
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    Published: 07 November 2019
    Published in PACMHCI Volume 3, Issue CSCW

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    Author Tags

    1. accessibility
    2. autism
    3. computer-mediated communication
    4. neurodiversity
    5. video calling

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