精神障碍是全社会共同面对的公共卫生问题和社会问题，作为精神障碍之一的自闭症谱系障碍是一种终身的社会互动与交流障碍，当前国内有数量庞大的自闭症谱系障碍群体面临着医疗和教育资源不足的困境。在大众传播领域，自闭症群体正在经历关注不足和刻板印象的困扰。然而，当前有一部分自闭症群体，越来越多地使用在线社区等社交媒体分享生活、寻求支持。互联网技术的发展，为原本面对交流困难的自闭症群体，创造了表达自我、参与交流和获取支持的新的技术条件。本研究聚焦自闭症谱系障碍群体的在线健康社区使用，分析并展示在线健康社区中的社会支持交流类型，深入探究自闭症人群所感知的在线健康社区的正面影响和负面影响，以及在线社区之所以产生双重影响的具体机制和可能原因。研究使用了内容分析法和深度访谈法两种研究方法，对自闭症谱系障碍在线社区的内容进行了抓取和内容分析编码，并招募了共计15位使用社区的自闭症用户进行访谈，访谈内容以建构主义扎根理论的方法进行了处理。研究发现，在线健康社区对自闭症谱系障碍群体的影响存在“双刃剑”效应。在正面影响方面，在线健康社区为自闭症谱系群体提供了便于获取的信息支持、尊重支持和情感支持，帮助他们接纳自我、建立身份认同，针对性地提升自我。但是，让人担忧的是，在线健康社区存在难以直接察觉的负面影响，社区交流让一部分自闭症人群产生了身份差异和犹疑；自闭症谱系社区中也容易出现攻击和争执；社区可能会反映现实中的偏见、歧视乃至恶性事件；线上的支持也难以接入自闭症群体的现实生活，对不同的实际困难帮助有限。本研究对在线健康社区产生“双刃剑”效应的可能原因进行了分析，并提出解决问题的建议。在线健康社区产生负面影响，或无法较好发挥正面影响，可能与自闭症群体的自身特征、依托的社交平台特点以及原本存在的现实困境有关；随后，研究者从社区管理者、平台、专业医疗工作者等多个主体的角度，分别提出帮助在线健康社区完善、健全发展的建议，以减少在线健康社区可能产生的问题，同时更好地发挥和放大在线健康社区对自闭症群体的正向作用，最终改善他们的生活状况。
Mental disorders represent a significant public health issue and social concern that affects the entire society. Among these conditions, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and behavior. In China, a considerable number of individuals with ASD experience a shortage of medical and educational resources, which poses a challenge for their well-being. Moreover, within the realm of mass communication, autistic people often encounter marginalization and stereotypes. Nevertheless, an increasingly growing segment of the autistic population is utilizing social media platforms, such as online communities, to share their experiences and seek support. The advancement of Internet technology provides an opportunity for autistic individuals, who traditionally encountered difficulties in communication, to express themselves, communicate effectively, and obtain necessary support.This study aims to investigate the utilization of online health communities within the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) community. Specifically, this research explores and illustrates the different types of social support communication that exist in the online health communities for autistic people. Additionally, this study analyzes both the positive and negative effects of these communities as perceived by autistic individuals. Furthermore, this research delves into the specific mechanisms and potential reasons why online communities have a dual impact. To achieve these aims, two research methods were utilized: content analysis and in-depth interviews. The content analysis method was employed to capture and encode the content in the online ASD community. Moreover, a total of 15 autistic users using the community were recruited for in-depth interviews, which were processed using the constructivist rooting theory approach.The study reveals a dual nature of online health communities for autistic individuals, which can be both beneficial and detrimental. On the positive side, these communities offer accessible information, emotional support, and respect to those with autism spectrum disorders, helping them in accepting themselves, building group identity, and improving their self-confidence. However, there are concerns regarding the negative consequences that may not be directly evident. Communication within the community has led to identity differences and hesitation among some autistic individuals. Furthermore, the ASD online community is known to experience aggression and conflicts, reflecting the reality of prejudice, discrimination, and malicious incidents. Additionally, the online support provided by these communities may have limited practical value and may not effectively address the real-life challenges faced by autistic people.This study delves into the underlying causes of the "double-edged sword" effect associated with online health communities for autistic individuals and provides viable solutions to address this issue. The detrimental outcomes or lack of positive effects emanating from these communities can be attributed to several factors, such as the unique characteristics of people on the spectrum, the nature of the social platform employed, and pre-existing real-world challenges. Accordingly, the researcher puts forth recommendations that offer a multi-faceted approach towards improving online health communities. These suggestions touch upon various stakeholders, including community managers, platforms, and healthcare providers, with the aim of mitigating potential issues that may arise and optimizing the positive impacts of online health communities for those on the spectrum. Ultimately, the implementation of these proposals seeks to enhance the overall living conditions of autistic individuals.
