Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40266409›Full record

SynthesisClinical child and family psychology review2025

Caught in the Web of the Net? Part I: Meta-analyses of Problematic Internet Use and Social Media Use in (Young) People with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Peter Muris, Henry Otgaar, Franc Donkers, Thomas H Ollendick, Anne Deckers

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical child and family psychology review, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Hospitalizations in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder are rising in Spain.Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Peter MurisDepartment of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. peter.muris@maastrichtuniversity.nl.ORCID 0000-0001-5447-8200
Henry OtgaarDepartment of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Franc DonkersDepartment of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Thomas H OllendickVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
Anne DeckersYouz-Parnassia Group, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This article examined the internet and social media usage among (young) individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Two meta-analyses were conducted to quantify (1) the relation between ASD/autistic traits and problematic internet use (PIU, which included generalized PIU, problematic gaming, excessive smartphone use), and (2) the relation between ASD/autistic traits and social media use. The results of our first meta-analysis-comprising 46 studies and 42,274 participants-revealed that people with ASD or higher levels of autistic traits showed higher levels of PIU, with an average effect size of r = 0.26 (95% CI [0.21, 0.31]). The second meta-analysis-consisting of 15 studies and 7036 participants-indicated that people with ASD or higher levels of autistic traits were less involved on social media platforms as compared to their typically developing counterparts, with the average effect size being r = - 0.28 (95% CI [- 0.38, - 0.18]). The quality of the research on PIU and social media in persons with ASD was critically evaluated and possible directions for future research on this topic are discussed.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderInternet Addiction DisorderInternet UseSocial MediaAdolescentChildHumansAutism spectrum disorder (ASD)Meta-analysisProblematic internet use (PIU)Social media use

Identifiers

PMID40266409
PMCPMC12162762

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.