MediaCare: Empowering Caregivers of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders through Media Literacy.

In our digitally driven world, caregivers of children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) deal with an avalanche of information.

While information is more accessible than ever, it is also more prone to misinformation, adding to the already significant challenges these caregivers face. The EU defines misinformation as misleading or false information spread across various media.

Such misinformation, often disguised as genuine advice, can mislead caregivers, affecting their care decisions and steering them away from evidence-based approaches.

In its commitment to fostering a digitally inclusive society and fight misinformation, the EU agenda highlights the role of media literacy, enabling individuals to evaluate and critically interpret media messages. Yet, a gap exists: no media literacy initiatives are tailored to the unique needs of caregivers of children with NDDs.

MediaCare is an interdisciplinary initiative blending media literacy and care research to bridge this gap.

In MediaCare, I aspire to develop a novel web-based application to enhance media literacy skills for caregivers of children with NDDs.

MediaCare objectives are clear: (1) To identify prevalent caregiver media misinformation on NDDs; and to build the MediaCare app to counteract them, offering (2) trusted resources, (3) aid in discerning information, and (4) fostering a digital care community.

With a User-Centered approach and gold-standard methods, from a stakeholder-engaged review to usability testing and a Randomized Controlled Trial, MediaCare aligns with the EU's Digital Education Action Plan, promising a pioneering media literacy solution for caregivers.

The FORLIPSI department at the University of Florence, a leader in media literacy research, offers me an ideal setting for this project, under Prof. Christian Tarchi’s guidance.

MediaCare is expected to empower caregivers, enhancing their ability to navigate the media realm confidently and promoting informed, evidence-based care decisions.