Virtual Autism: A Psychoeducational Exploration

Abstract

Virtual autism is a term used to describe a phenomenon where children show signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder as a result of excessive exposure to screen time (e.g., television, computers, smartphones, tablets) at a very young age. Under this due to lack of environmental stimulation and social interactions the child often starts showing certain symptoms like reduced cognitive functioning, delayed language development, behaviours like those of autistic children, such as hyperactivity, short attention span, irritability and repetitive behaviours, lack of empathy or emotional expression, reduced engagement with the environment, and oversensitivity with certain noises, lights or texture as this can often interferes with brain’s ability to process or ignore certain sensory stimuli. The study aimed to analyse the awareness of virtual autism among the parents. A group of 25 parents with children aged 0 to 6 years were given a list of 25 questions, and the results showed that parents have some awareness, but gaps remain in understanding its cause, effects, and preventive measures. The study underscores the need for targeted psychoeducation.