An investigation of the relationship between social media addiction, emotion regulation difficulties, anxiety, and caregiver burden in parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder during the special education process

The primary aim of this study is to examine the relationship between social media addiction, emotional regulation difficulties, anxiety levels, and care burden among parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are involved in the special education process. The study also aims to evaluate the significance and extent of these relationships statistically. The study sample consists of 74 parents (n=74) of children aged 0–6 years who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and who applied to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Institute under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Oğuzhan Kılınçel and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şenay Kılınçel. Participants' social media addiction levels were assessed using the Social Media Use Scale, while emotional regulation was measured through the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). The care burden experienced by parents was evaluated with the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, and their anxiety levels were measured using the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Participation in the study was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained from all participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows 22.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL). For non-normally distributed data, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied. Relationships between variables were examined using Spearman's correlation test. For modeling purposes, univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted. A p-value of less than 0.050 was considered statistically significant. As a result of the analyses, sociodemographic data were compared with scale scores. Fathers scored higher on the Social Media Use Scale, while mothers and participants with lower income levels had higher scores on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. In the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale, divorced or separated participants reported a greater care burden. Higher anxiety levels were found in mothers, individuals with lower income, and those with education levels below high school according to the Beck Anxiety Inventory. A multiple linear regression model was constructed including social media addiction scores, caregiver burden, emotional regulation difficulties, anxiety levels, and demographic variables such as age, educational status, parental role (mother/father), and income level. The model was found to be statistically significant (R = 0.526; F = 14.509; p = 0.001). The findings were discussed in light of relevant literature.