Facilitating virtual social connections for youth with disabilities: lessons for post-COVID-19 programming

Laura R Bowman; Eric Smart; Anna Oh; Ying Xu; C J Curran; Dolly Menna-Dack; Jean Hammond; Melissa Thorne

doi:10.1080/09638288.2023.2301484

Facilitating virtual social connections for youth with disabilities: lessons for post-COVID-19 programming

Disabil Rehabil. 2024 Jan 27:1-10. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2301484. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Laura R Bowman¹, Eric Smart^{1

2

3}, Anna Oh¹, Ying Xu¹, C J Curran¹, Dolly Menna-Dack^{1

4}, Jean Hammond¹, Melissa Thorne¹

Affiliations

¹ Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
² Research Program, Quality Management, TVCC (formerly Thames Valley Children's Centre), London, Ontario, Canada.
³ Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
⁴ Bloorview Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

PMID: 38279660
DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2301484

Abstract

Purpose: Social connections are essential for the development of life skills for youth. Youth with disabilities have long faced barriers to meaningful social connections. The onset of COVID-19 increased barriers to social connections for all youth, and also led to enhanced use of virtual platforms in paediatric rehabilitation programming. Harnessing this opportunity, service providers created a suite of online programs to foster social connections and friendships. The current study explores participant and service provider experiences of such programs.

Methods: This qualitative descriptive study used interviews and focus groups to explore how youth with disabilities (n = 8), their parents (n = 7), and service providers (n = 13) involved in program development and delivery experienced the programs, the accessibility of the virtual platforms, and their social connections in relation to program participation.

Results: Participants were satisfied with the programs' content, accessibility and ability to meet their social needs. Qualitative themes included facilitating social connections, accessibility of virtual spaces, and recommendations for future virtual programming.

Discussion: For youth with disabilities who have been historically marginalized in social spheres, the newly ubiquitous infrastructure regarding virtual programming must be supported and enhanced. A hybrid approach involving virtual/in-person options in future programming is recommended.

Keywords: COVID-19; Disability; friendship; online; social connection; virtual; youth.

Plain language summary

Youth with disabilities can benefit from social connections on virtual platforms in terms of physical access to social spaces and opportunities to communicate in alternative waysFor some youth with disabilities, virtual social connections can be the only feasible and readily available option for reducing social isolation due to physical barriers to accessWhen offering virtual program options, service providers should consider the various benefits of connecting with the physical, communication-based, interaction-based, access-based and other barriers to virtual connection.