Abstract
This study aimed to compare the severities of psychopathologies and the level of self-esteem among 219 adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who were classified into pure perpetrators, pure victims, perpetrator-victims, and neutrals in Taiwan. The experiences of school bullying involvement in the previous 1 year were measured using the Chinese version of the School Bullying Experience Questionnaire. The severities of depression, anxiety, and suicidality were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children, and the 5-item questionnaire from the epidemiological version of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, respectively. The level of self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The results indicated that compared with the self-reported neutrals, the self-reported perpetrator-victims and pure victims had more severe depression and anxiety. No difference in depression, suicidality, anxiety, and self-esteem was found among the four groups of various parent-reported bullying involvement experiences. Mental health problems in adolescents with ASD who experienced bullying victimization should be routinely surveyed.
Highlights
The true extent of school bullying in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains an underresearched area [1]
The present study examined the differences in the levels of depression, anxiety, suicidality, and self-esteem among adolescents with high-functioning ASD categorized according to various experiences of school bullying involvement: those without any involvement in bullying, pure victims, pure perpetrators, and perpetrator-victims
Suicidality, anxiety, and self-esteem was found among the four groups of various parent-reported bullying involvement experiences
Summary
The true extent of school bullying in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains an underresearched area [1]. School Bullying in Autism Spectrum Disorder perpetration, victimization, and both school bullying perpetration and victimization among youth with ASD was 10%, 44%, and 16%, respectively [3]. School-aged youth with ASD are at a greater risk of school victimization than their typically developing peers [3]. A recent study based on the perspectives of adolescents and their parents found that involvement in bullying is one of major daily living stressors experienced by the adolescents with ASD, as well as that the experience of bullying involvement was resulted from the core symptoms and characteristic behaviors of ASD [8].
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