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Social media experiences of adolescents with communication disability: A structured interview pilot study
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Social media experiences of adolescents with communication disability: A structured interview pilot study

Nichola Shelton, Natalie Munro, Julia Starling, Lyn Tieu, Rebecca Sutherland and Melanie Keep
Child language teaching and therapy, pp.1-19
09/04/2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590261432879
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Social media experiences of adolescentsView
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Abstract

adolescents communication disability digital communication interviews social interaction social media
Purpose This pilot study aimed to evaluate a new structured interview tool, the Digital Dialogues Interview (DDI), which was designed to amplify the voices of 12- to 17-year-olds with communication disability by examining how and why they use social media. Method A three-phase design was adopted. In Phase 1, the structured interview was developed. In Phase 2, a youth advisory group of young adults (n = 4) was consulted on the project's design and materials to be used in Phase 3. In Phase 3, structured interviews with adolescents with communication disability (n = 5), characterised by language and/or literacy difficulties, were conducted. To evaluate both the feasibility of the DDI and the challenges associated with administering it, data were gathered on the usefulness of the data collection procedures and usability of the tool. Results The DDI posed minimal challenges for use in qualitative research with young people with communication disability. The primary theme produced through reflexive thematic analysis was that participants use social media to foster connection, while facing challenges including communication difficulties and technology issues. Conclusion This project was an important initial step in creating a tool to investigate how and why young people with communication disability use social media. The findings informed adaptations to the DDI and research procedures, highlighting the value of thorough piloting for improving trustworthiness, the depth of data generated, and ultimately listening to the experiences of young people with communication disability.

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