Conceptualizing bullying in children with autism spectrum disorder: Using a mixed model to differentiate behavior types and identify predictors

Abstract

Children with autism spectrum disorder experience bullying more frequently than their typical peers. Inconsistent definitions for and imprecise measurement of bullying in the literature impede a better understanding of this difference, and multiple types of bullying topographies create additional dimensions for analysis. In this study, participants rated the severity of bullying depicted in written vignettes of child-dyadic interactions. The vignettes varied across child age (4–15 years old) and described either one of four different types of bullying or non-bullying behavior. Participants included teachers and parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and community members without an autism spectrum disorder child. Participants’ severity ratings of vignettes that described bullying differed by bullying type (i.e. verbal, physical, cyber, and interpersonal). Multilevel modeling revealed that bullying severity ratings are impacted by the age of children in the vignette, being a community member without children, and other demographic variables. These findings have implications for research methodology, assessment, and conceptualization of bullying in typical children as well as those with autism spectrum disorder.