Files
Abstract
Children with disabilities are bullied up to three times as often as children without disabilities. Children who are victims of bullying can suffer consequences that can last into adulthood including agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, depression, suicidality, and lower academic performance. However, the unique needs of children with disabilities are often not considered in the design and implementation of bullying-prevention interventions. The purpose of this study was to identify internal (emotional competence, self-efficacy) and external (family, peer and school support) factors that protected children with disabilities from bullying victimization. This retrospective, mixed-methods study was divided into 2 phases. In Phase 1, participants (n=161) were college students registered with the university Disability Resource Center. Each participant completed an electronic survey which queried respondents about bullying victimization, disability status, and protective factors. In Phase 2, ten participants completed one 90-minute in-depth, interpretive interview. Results from the analysis of Phase 1 results informed the development of the Phase 2 interview guide. Results indicated that two-thirds of participants in this study experienced bullying victimization, a frequency that is almost three times higher than for students without disabilities. The most frequently reported type of aggression was relational, the second most frequent type was verbal. There were no gender differences in type or frequency of victimization. Participants with disabilities that impacted social skills did not experience significantly different levels of bullying than participants with disabilities that did not impact social skills. Most participants experienced bullying in middle school. Participants who reported higher levels of family, peer, and school support experienced significantly less bullying victimization. Results of the Phase 2 interviews supported the results from Phase 1. Interview respondents reported frequent relational victimization and emphasized the importance of family, peer, and school-related support systems. These support systems aided in coping with and avoiding bullying victimization. Unexpectedly, participants reported disability-related victimization from school staff. Findings from this study are discussed in the context of the existing literature and recommendations made for prevention programs.