Representation of ASD in mass media: analysis of a generalist newspaper

• Main Authors: Irene LACRUZ PÉREZ, Raúl TÁRRAGA MÍNGUEZ, Gemma PASTOR CEREZUELA, M.ª Inmaculada FERNÁNDEZ ANDRÉS, Pilar SANZ CERVERA
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad de Salamanca 2020-07-01
• Series: Siglo Cero
• Subjects: medios de comunicación; noticias; proyección social; trastorno del espectro autista
• Online Access: https://revistas.usal.es/index.php/0210-1696/article/view/23599

Mass media influence significantly their users, so they don’t just inform them but they generate opinions too. This fact is relevant to the field of inclusion, while the special educational needs are also an issue addressed by the media. In this study the articles that deal with the topic related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the newspaper El País during the year 2017 are analysed. The results of the content analysis of the articles point out that ASD was a topic of interest during 2017. The most recurring contents were the causes of ASD, often denying their relation with the administration of vaccines, as well as the visibility of the disorder. In this sense, the study points out that the aspects that are shown about ASD are mostly negative. Additionally, regarding the projected image of ASD, one of the most significant deficiencies that has been figured out is the fact that its heterogeneity is not specifically mentioned, and it’s an essential feature of the diagnosis. The conclusions discuss some implications of the results for the scope of inclusion.