Capturing variability in use of commercial technologies by autistic children can inform future learning and support technology design. Survey data were collected from parents ( n = 388) in the UK, Spain, and Belgium, and includes information about individuals with a range of ages and ability levels. We found a comparable pattern of access and usage across age groups, though higher reading and language ability was linked to use of more devices and interfaces. Reported worries about technology correlated with longer time spent using technology. Autistic children use mainstream technologies for a broad range of recreational uses. The data suggest that technologies developed with therapeutic goals in mind may need to achieve a high standard of design to engage users.

Schools often provide structure and safety to students but particularly for vulnerable children and young people. The Covid 19 pandemic has caused unprecedented upheaval across society as a whole but it is clear that the effects are uneven and that some groups have been more directly and negatively impacted, both in the UK and globally. While there is now much helpful quantitative data on the effects of Covid 19 on education, there has been little in depth qualitative study which examines the experiences and attitudes of young people as students and specifically the effect of school closures and exam cancellations on their mental health and wellbeing. This paper discusses findings from online group interviews with a total of 45 young people and aims to understand the impact on mental health and wellbeing and what young people, themselves, suggest would help mitigate the effects of the global pandemic on their mental health and wellbeing in school.

Increasing evidence has shown that the Covid-19 outbreak has impacted adolescents’ mental health. Utilising a mixed-method design, the current study examined a total of 518 adolescent perspectives (60% female), in Scotland, on what has and could help their mental health in the context of Covid-19. A reflexive thematic analysis revealed three themes in relation to what has helped adolescents’ mental health since the Covid-19 outbreak. These related to findings about the value of: (1) engaging in recreational activities, (2) engaging with friends, and (3) the disruption to schooling. The remaining four themes related to what could have helped adolescents mental health and wellbeing since the Covid-19 outbreak. These focussed on (1) better support: in relation to mental health; school work; and communication, (2) contact with friends, and (3) more opportunities for recreational activities. Males were more likely to report recreational activities had helped and less likely to report better support could have helped. Adolescents who reached clinical threshold for depression and anxiety and those with elevated PTSD-like symptoms about Covid-19 were more likely to state more support could have helped, and adolescents who reached clinical threshold for depression were less likely to report that friends could have helped their mental health. The findings may inform mental health policy and interventions in the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Increasing evidence has shown that the Covid-19 outbreak, and subsequent school closures and exam cancellations that followed, has impacted adolescent mental health. The current cross-sectional study examined rates of depression, anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms about Covid-19 in adolescents and whether current or past mental health support, additional support in school, keyworker status, poorer household relationships since the outbreak of Covid-19 or reduced physical activity were associated with elevated levels of depression, anxiety or PTSD-like symptoms. Lastly, it examined perceived changes in mental health due to the Covid-19 pandemic, school closures and the cancellation of exams. A total of 899 adolescents (14–18 years) took part in the ’in isolation instead of in school’ (INISS) project. Findings indicated that older adolescents, females, those who currently or previously received mental health support or additional support in school and adolescents who reported poorer relationships at home since Covid-19 were more likely to meet clinical threshold levels for their mental health. Adolescents highlighted worsening of their mental health due to Covid-19 and school closures with mixed positive and negative impact of exam cancellations. Adolescents experiencing clinical threshold levels of depression and anxiety uniquely reported worsening of their mental health since the Covid-19 pandemic, school closures and exam cancellations. Understanding the rates, perceptions and factors associated with increases in depression, anxiety and PTSD-like symptoms in adolescents during the Covid-19 pandemic will inform national policy in supporting adolescent mental health and recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The development of new technologies for autistic children is outpacing the creation of research evidence for their efficacy. As a result commercially available technologies that are used in practice often have received limited quality research evaluations. If research is to inform the real-world use of technology for user benefit, it must examine which technologies practitioners use, and how they use them. The survey reported here addresses this challenge by aiming to characterise technologies used in autism education. Tablets, computers and smart whiteboards were the most popular devices reported, but newer technological devices such as robots and tangibles were highly used when they were available. Technology was most commonly used to support learning, engagement and communication with autistic pupils. These results suggest that future research into getting the most benefit from current resources would be useful to practitioners, as well as evaluations of emerging newer technologies such as tangibles and robotics.