Social Interaction and Social Media: How Speech-Language Pathologists Support Adolescents with Communication Disability in a Digital Age

Abstract

This thesis examined how Australian speech-language pathologists (SLPs) assess and support the social interaction abilities of young people with communication disability, with a focus on the digital environments that shape contemporary social participation. Across five studies (a national survey, two scoping reviews, interviews with SLPs, and a pilot of the co-designed Digital Dialogues Interview; DDI) the research explored national clinical practices, available assessment tools, SLPs’ approaches to online communication, adolescents’ social media use, and the feasibility of a new structured interview. Findings showed that Australian services remain largely impairment and activity focused, with limited attention to the participation or digital communication of young people with communication disability. Assessment tools rarely capture pragmatic or online interaction skills, and SLPs lack systematic methods for supporting social media–based communication, often adapting offline practices instead. Evidence from the literature indicates that adolescents with language disorders use social media mainly to maintain relationships and can benefit from targeted digital communication interventions. The DDI was feasible and effective in generating insights into young people’s online engagement. The thesis highlights the need for co-designed, participation-focused assessments that reflect young people’s integrated online–offline social worlds, and introduces a preliminary conceptual model to guide SLPs in understanding and supporting young people's social media engagement.