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Bullying Prevalence in Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2017

Marilyn Campbell ,
Yoon-Suk Hwang ,
Chrystal Whiteford ,
Julie Dillon-Wallace ,
Jill Ashburner ,
Beth Saggers  and
Suzanne Carrington
Marilyn Campbell*
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Yoon-Suk Hwang
Affiliation:
Australian Catholic University, Australia
Chrystal Whiteford
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Julie Dillon-Wallace
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Jill Ashburner
Affiliation:
Autism Queensland, Australia
Beth Saggers
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Suzanne Carrington
Affiliation:
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
*
Correspondence: Professor Marilyn Campbell, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Qld 4059, Australia. Email: ma.campbell@qut.edu.au
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Abstract

All forms of bullying, physical, verbal, social, and cyber, are prevalent among youth worldwide. An especially vulnerable population for involvement in bullying is students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although there are some studies that have investigated bullying in these students, many of these are beset by methodological issues. We surveyed 104 students with ASD on their bullying experiences in all 4 forms of bullying and examined their roles as victim, perpetrator, and bully-victim, comparing them with a group of typically developing students matched for age and gender. It was found that students with ASD reported significantly more traditional victimisation (physical, verbal, and social) than their typically developing peers. Cyberbullying victimisation was similar for the 2 groups. There were no differences between the groups on traditional bullying perpetration; however, typically developing students reported more cyberbullying perpetration behaviours. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.

Keywords

bullyingcyberbullyingautism spectrum disorderstudents
Type
Original Articles
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , December 2017 , pp. 101 - 122
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2017 

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Footnotes

*

This manuscript was accepted under the Editorship of Michael Arthur-Kelly.

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