Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder are victimized much more frequently than the general population of adolescents, a newly released study asserts.
The report, published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, is based on information collected from 920 parents. It found that an estimated 46.3 percent of adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder were the victims of bullying, compared with 10.6 percent of the general adolescent population.
"Future interventions should incorporate content that addresses the core deficits of adolescents with an (autism spectrum disorder), which limits their verbal ability to report bullying incidents," the authors say in a news release. "Schools should incorporate strategies that address conversational difficulties."
The report says schools with inclusive classrooms should increase the social integration of adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder into protective peer groups and work to develop the empathy and social skills of general population students.
