Bullying can be referred to as different acts of violence and aggression that can generally influence individuals in a significantly negative manner. It is especially necessary to emphasize the victimization of children and youngsters since schools and educational institutions represent a social setting in which frequent communications and social interactions occur. Although autism spectrum disorder bullying victimization is found to be associated with children and youngsters, the issue should be appropriately analyzed in various contexts and populations in order to investigate specific correlations.
Firstly, it is obligatory to determine the specific concepts of bullying and autism for a proper examination. Bullying is defined as the abuse, violent dominance, or intimidation of another person by the use of force, compulsion, harsh taunting, or threat. The action is frequently repeated and persistent, and one of the most important prerequisites is feeling physical or social unfairness. In general, acts of bullying differ from disagreement due to the presence of imbalance. Bullying is a type of aggressive conduct with three characteristics: a hostile purpose, an increase in aggression, and a pattern of behavior over time. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurocognitive and neurodevelopmental disorders marked by difficulties with social communication and interaction, limited and repetitive ways of behaving or obsessions, and sensory processing issues (Marotta et al., 2020). Environmental and genetic variables have been linked to the pathogenesis of autism, causing neurochemical processes to emerge early in the nervous system’s formation (Marotta et al., 2020). Thus, it is feasible to state that people with diagnosed autism are believed to represent a vulnerable population in terms of social connections.
Autism, as a neurodevelopmental disorder described by difficulties with social interactions and relationships, can be linked to social issues in various environmental settings. In fact, bullying as a social phenomenon can be characterized as a social and interaction issue; therefore, it is possible to analyze the connection between autism and acts of bullying and inappropriate behavior. Children with an autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are more likely to be bullied (McClemont et al., 2021). In children and youngsters with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, school rejection is a “red signal” for bullying (McClemont et al., 2021). School refusal and poor conduct should be considered indicators of abused children’s suffering (McClemont et al., 2021). School refusal or rejection is a term utilized to depict a school-aged child’s signals of nervousness and intention to stop attending school. Furthermore, it is referred to as academic problems or school phobia, and it manifests itself in a variety of scenarios.
The relationship between autism and bullying experiences can be related to different factors of influence. Scholars have discovered that ASD is a significant risk aspect for bullying experiences and victimization (Forrest et al., 2020). In a sample consisting of 192 mostly Canadian respondents, ASD bullying victimization was found to be associated with child age, communication issues, projecting and internalizing psychological problems, social networking sites, and family mental health (Forrest et al., 2020). Children with ASD are an extremely sensitive group, especially when emphasizing bullying factors (Forrest et al., 2020). While educators and parents are responsible for safeguarding children with ASD, academics can help by identifying risk variables linked to protection and susceptibility (Forrest et al., 2020). For children demonstrating the focused autism characteristics, behavioral therapy approaches should include bullying victimization. Anti-bullying activities that enhance awareness of the difficulties ASD youngsters encounter among neurotypical companions should also be prioritized.
Even though there is concrete evidence of the dangerous correlation between bullying and autism, there is a lack of examination concerning diverse communities and social groups. According to growing research on bullying and abuse in autism spectrum disorder, people with ASD are mistreated more regularly than their non-ASD counterparts (Morton, 2021). Nevertheless, there is no standard benchmark evaluation technique for bullying in ASD, and the prevalence figures are based on different approaches (Morton, 2021). In particular, there is a need for a more diverse sample of ASD individuals in terms of gender, ethnicity, and cognitive ability (Morton, 2021). The requirement for a standard image assessment tool and uniformity in the operational definition of bullying should be explored as proposals for academics and practitioners (Morton, 2021). Consequently, it is compulsory to elaborate on special standards related to the link between bullying and autism and analyze various vulnerable populations and communities. Concerning personal relevance, to my mind, bullying can be defined as an omnipresent aggression act that is severely linked to individuals with health issues; hence, extensive work in this field is required.
To summarize, bullying is described as the use of force, coercion, severe teasing, or threat to harm, dominate, or intimidate another person. Autism spectrum disorder is a set of neurocognitive and neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social communication and interaction problems, restricted and repetitive behaviors or obsessions, and sensory processing abnormalities. Autism, a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by difficulty in social interactions and relationships, has been related to social problems in a variety of environments. As ideas for academics and practitioners, the need for a consistent image evaluation instrument and homogeneity in the operational definition of bullying should be investigated. As a result, special criteria relating to the relationship between bullying and autism must be developed, as well as an analysis of various susceptible demographics and communities.
References
Forrest, D. L., Kroeger, R. A., & Stroope, S. (2020). Autism spectrum disorder symptoms and bullying victimization among children with autism in the United States.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(2), 560-571. Web.
Marotta, R., Risoleo, M. C., Messina, G., Parisi, L., Carotenuto, M., Vetri, L., & Roccella, M. (2020). The neurochemistry of autism.Brain Sciences, 10(3), 163. Web.
McClemont, A. J., Morton, H. E., Gillis, J. M., & Romanczyk, R. G. (2021). Brief report: Predictors of school refusal due to bullying in children with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(5), 1781-1788. Web.
Morton, H. E. (2021). Assessment of bullying in autism spectrum disorder: Systematic review of methodologies and participant characteristics. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1-16. Web.