Autism & Bullying: How Can We Help?

The call…”Mrs. Sanford, there has been an incident at school.” My heart sinks as I hear that my six-year old child with High-Functioning Autism has been the target of bullying by her peers. We immediately convene multiple meetings to address the issue and to ensure that this type of behavior does not happen again.
 
In recent years, incidents of bullying in various degrees have filled our news and social media venues. In an article from 2000 (Counseling and Human Development), author Barry K. Weinhold stated that "bullying is the most common type of violence in contemporary US society".

Statistics
Research reveals that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) unfortunately experience bullying even more than their neurotypical peers. For example, one study found that a total of 63% of 1,167 children with ASD had been bullied at some point in their lives (iancommunity.org). Another study found that those impacted by High-functioning Autism and/or Asperger's Syndrome were bullied more than children more significantly impacted by Autism.

The Bullying-Autism Connection 
So, why is there a connection between Autism and bullying? 
1. First, those who bully typically have been bullied themselves in some form. So, bullying others becomes a coping strategy for managing their own unresolved pain. 
2. Because of theory of mind or “mind reading” challenges and social skill difficulties, our children with ASD become vulnerable targets for bullying. For example, they typically struggle to infer the intentions of others or have difficulty reading body language and other nonverbal cues. Those who bully find it easy to take advantage of these weaknesses.

How Can We Help?
There are several strategies to help decrease the incidence of bullying for our children with Autism. 

• Celebrate acceptance. Encourage teachers and schools to honor students who are doing the right thing. For example, a certificate or reward could be given monthly to children who are observed being exceptionally friendly, supportive or helpful to a peer.
• Explicit teaching. Use concrete examples such as videos, social stories, pictures and "comic book conversations" to help our children with Autism distinguish between bullying and non-bullying behaviors.
• Establish a safe zone. Determine 1-2 people at your child's school who they are to go to after an incidence of bullying (ex: school counselor, librarian, para-professional, etc.) Role playing in advance with this individual and your child can be quite helpful.

The reality of bullying is far too familiar to families impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder. As a clinician and Autism parent, I have experience from two perspectives. I believe that we can and we must do more to address bullying at various levels. Let's do what we can to see change for all, especially for our children with ASD 💙

References:
https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/bullying-and-students-on-the-autism-spectrum
https://www.iancommunity.org/cs/ian_research_reports/ian_research_report_bullying
https://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/bullying
https://carolgraysocialstories.com/about-2/carol-gray/

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