Our project addresses the significant challenges posed by loneliness among students with special needs, which is often invisible and stays unnoticed, causing extensive harm beyond the school context and period. Existing approaches often overlook the influence of the built environment and social barriers, attributing loneliness to individual factors. We propose a groundbreaking solution—a smart multimodal monitoring system, enabling schools to apply real-time assessment and intervention, creating autism-friendly school environments addressing equity for all students; and fostering a sense of belonging.
Using ecological momentary assessment, our innovative approach captures real-time data on loneliness during the unstructured school time. We connect this information with features of the school built environment, physiological indicators, and social interaction patterns. By doing so, individual differences in subjective experience of loneliness are linked to the context in which they arise; enabling identification of intervention strategies and testing. By challenging prevailing stigmas related to diversity, we shift focus towards addressing systemic conditions rather than attempting to "fix" individual students.
What sets our research apart is our unique co-design approach. Our interdisciplinary team comprises experts including autistic professionals and researchers. We collaborate closely with youth (with and without autism), teachers, policymakers, and parents. This inclusive approach ensures our project's outcomes align with the needs and perspectives of autistic students, whilst empowering them.
With the potential for profound scientific and societal breakthroughs, our project can revolutionise current practices, contributing to the holistic development of healthy citizens. It promises far-reaching implications for education, health, and social integration.
