Assessing the Mediating Role of Participation Willingness and Socio-Emotional Adjustment in the Relationship Between Digital Divide and Attitudes Towards New Technologies Among Teachers with Autistic Children

The digital divide and attitudes toward new technologies are critical factors influencing educators' professional practices. For teachers who are also parents of children with autism, these factors may interact with their willingness to participate in school activities and their socio-emotional adjustment, creating a complex dynamic that remains understudied, particularly in specific contexts like Mashhad, Iran. This study aimed to assess the mediating role of willingness to participate and socio-emotional adjustment in the relationship between the digital divide and attitudes toward new technologies among this specific population.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted during the ۲۰۲۴-۲۰۲۵ academic year. A sample of ۲۲۰ teachers who are parents of children with autism in Mashhad were selected through purposive sampling. Participants completed four validated questionnaires: the Gupta and Srivastava (۲۰۱۱) Digital Divide Questionnaire, the Ianvale (۲۰۲۴) Attitude towards New Technologies Questionnaire, the Teachers' Willingness to Participate Questionnaire, and the adapted Peer Selection Scale (Crick & Grotpeter, ۱۹۹۵) for socio-emotional adjustment. Data were analyzed using SPSS and Smart-PLS software, employing structural equation modeling (SEM) with a partial least squares (PLS) approach to test the mediating effects.Results:The results demonstrated a significant direct negative relationship between the digital divide and attitudes toward new technologies (β = -۰.۲۸, p < .۰۱). Mediation analysis revealed that both willingness to participate (β = -۰.۰۶۳, p < .۰۵) and socio-emotional adjustment (β = -۰.۰۹۸, p < .۰۱) served as significant partial mediators. The digital divide negatively predicted both mediators (β = -۰.۳۵, p < .۰۰۱ for willingness to participate; β = -۰.۴۱, p < .۰۰۱ for socio-emotional adjustment), which in turn positively influenced attitudes toward new technologies (β = ۰.۱۸, p < .۰۵ and β = ۰.۲۴, p < .۰۱, respectively). The model explained ۳۸% of the variance in attitudes toward new technologies.Conclusion:The findings indicate that the digital divide affects technology attitudes both directly and indirectly through its impact on professional engagement and psychological well-being. For teachers parenting children with autism, comprehensive interventions should address not only digital access and skills but also foster collaborative participation and support socio-emotional health to effectively promote technology integration in their professional practice.

کلیدواژه ها:

Digital Divide ، Attitude towards New Technologies ، Willingness to Participate ، Socio-Emotional Adjustment ، Teachers of Children with Autism ، Mashhad