Internet and Social Media Use After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study

Abstract

Despite the prevalence of Internet use among persons with TBI, technological disparities remain in comparison with the general population. The extent of social media use among persons with TBI demonstrates the potential of these platforms for social engagement and other purposes. However, further research examining the quality of online activities and identifying potential risk factors of problematic use is recommended.

‘I kind of figured it out’: the views and experiences of people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in using social media—self‐determination for participation and inclusion online

“…Their experiences are similar to those reported of other social media users (boyd ), and they have similar patterns of use to the general population (Pew Research Center , Sensis ) and other people with TBI (Baker‐Sparr et al . ). They also report similar benefits to those previously reported by people without TBI (Sensis ), including the feeling of being closer and better connected to others, yet few of them used social media strategically for professional purposes or for advocacy and activism online.…”

“…Cognitive impairments have previously been proposed as barriers to use of social media, associated with its poor universal access and the continual demands associated with constantly evolving social media sites (Baker‐Sparr et al . , Brunner et al . ).…”

“…In this study, the proportion of adults with TBI who reported they had been bullied online (31%) is relatively high (Sensis , Pew Research Center ), adding weight to the suggestion that people with TBI may be more vulnerable to cyberbullying and online scams (Baker‐Sparr et al . , Brunner et al . , Jenaro et al .…”

“…While the social perceptions of communication and social interaction online are evolving and expanding (Baker‐Sparr et al . ), social media use is associated with a number of risks, including the risk on mental health of internet addiction (Oberst et al . ), and risks related to exposure to or engagement in cyber‐victimization (e.g., stalking, cyberbullying, trolling, scams, identity theft) (Jenaro et al .…”

“…Also, a person's cognitive impairments after TBI may alter the ways that they learn to manage both the challenges of finding and keeping track of information sources, and how to use and adjust to the frequent changes in social media platforms (Baker‐Sparr et al . , Brunner et al . ).…”