The Unrepresented Bullied Disabled Youth

The Unrepresented Bullied Disabled Youth

By: Carson Cherry
Communication- COMM-LL041
Mrs. Rhonda Lee-Dynes
December 6th 2020

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The Unrepresented Bullied Disabled Youth

Students with disabilities are disproportionally represented within the bullying dynamic
(Rose, C. A., Stormont, M., Ze Wang, Simpson, C. G., Preast, J. L., & Green, A. L. (2015). We
often do not hear or think about youth who are victimized and harassed for something they
cannot control. We have different types of bullying that are evident in our world such as
intention to harm someone, online or in person, mentally, physically abuse someone, and
power imbalance because of ones disability.

Studies
Several scholars have attempted to explain the underpinning of the disproportionate
representation of youth with disabilities within the bullying dynamic. For example, some have
hypothesized that perpetration either is reinforced as a function of passivity or concession by
the victim (Doll & Swearer, 2006) or serves as a learned behavior that functions as a mechanism
to reduce exposure to victimization (Rose et al., 2016). Others have argued that the
disproportionate representation is grounded in social information-processing deficits, whereby
students with disabilities may respond aggressively to social interactions or misread age-
appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication (Crick & Dodge, 1994, 1996; Whitney, Smith,
& Thompson, 1994). Overall, these hypotheses, coupled with extant literature, suggest that
many students with disabilities are disproportionately represented within the bullying dynamic,
as both victims and perpetrators, due to social and communication skill deficits (Rose et al.,
2011). (Rose, C. A., & Gage, N. A. (2017)
A study evaluated bullying involvement among 1,055 students with specific disabilities
in inclusive and restrictive settings and their demographically matched peers without
disabilities (Rose, C. A., Stormont, M., Ze Wang, Simpson, C. G., Preast, J. L., & Green, A. L.
(2015). The results suggest that students with disabilities experience higher rates of
victimization and engage in more fighting then students without. Students with learning
disabilities and autism spectrum disorder tended to report higher rates of victimization in
inclusive environments, whereas students with intellectual disabilities and emotional
behavioural disorders reported higher rates of victimization in restrictive areas. Students who
have mild to moderate cognitive disabilities were 2 to 3 times more likely to be bullied or
harassed; students with observable disabilities were 2 to 4 times more likely to be bullied as
well.
Data was collected through the Technology Harassment Victimization (THV) study which
was a telephone survey of 791 youths ages 10 to 20 in 2014. The survey was conducted to
families who have completed a previous survey which was the second National Survey of
Children’s Exposure to violence. The THV survey began with an advance letter, reply form, and
5 dollars mailed to 2127 (Wells, M., Mitchell, K. J., Jones, L. M., & Turner, H. A. (2019). 672
families responded and returned the forms. The other remaining were contacted by telephone.
The parents were asked about their child’s information such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, and

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socioeconomic status. The family’s structure was categorized into living with 2 biological or
adoptive parents (53.1 percent), 1 biological parent plus partner (8.6 percent), single biological
parent (34.1 percent) or nonparent caregivers (4.2 percent). The youths in the family were
asked about their own technology use and were coded as having used the internet if they have
used it in the past 6 months. Then asked how many days in the week. They answered with 7
days per week and 5 or more hours a day. Caregivers were asked if their child was diagnosed
with a disability or had an IEP. Results were 4 percent of youths with ODD or CD, 2 percent with
autism, pervasive developmental delay or Asperger’s disorder and 1 percent of youths were
identified with more than one disability. Students were also asked if they have ever been
bullied or harassed online and they reported back saying each had up to 2 peer harassment
experiences. The results indicated youths with a type of abnormality whether physical or not
were high risk for harassment and found that there are many types of harassment experience
in youths who have specific forms of disabilities (Wells, M., Mitchell, K. J., Jones, L. M., &
Turner, H. A. (2019).

Bully/Disability Dyad
Although there is a substantial body of literature on bullies and victims, relatively little
attention has been focused on how this problem relates specifically to children and youth with
disabilities. A growing concern in special education is that hostile school environments may
harbor a small, but troublesome number of students likely to prey on children with disabilities
("New Insights on Special Education Practice," 2002) (Flynt, S. W., & Morton, R. C. (2004).
Before looking more closely at the bully/disability dyad a working definition of the terms bully
and bullying should be established. A review of the related literature reveals several
descriptions of a bully or bullying behavior. Craig, Henderson, & Murphy (2000), point out that
different cultures have varying terms to describe bullying, and at the individual level there is
much subjectivity in characterizing this behavior (Flynt, S. W., & Morton, R. C. (2004). Children
with mental disabilities are prime candidates for being bullied because they tend to have low
self-esteem, looks to others for guidance, and lack of understanding dangerous situations may
be happening. Research has found that more males than females are bullies and same-age
peers often perpetrate bullying. Bullies are more likely to come from unsafe neighborhoods,
which increases the chance that they will model negative peer behavior. There is a greater
likelihood that a bully will drink alcohol, use tobacco, abuse other drugs, cheat on tests, and
bring weapons to school (Simanton, Burthwick, & Hoover, 2000). Bullies usually accost others in
common areas such as playgrounds, hallways, or bathrooms where adult supervision may be
lacking (Smith, 2000) (Flynt, S. W., & Morton, R. C. (2004).
Factors
Children with learning disabilities who have poor social skills are more likely to fall victim
of bullying. But children with learning disabilities have a greater chance of behaviour problems

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than others without. If the child is aggressive or antisocial, the child may bully others. Multiple
attributes that contribute to bullying behavior may include a genetic predisposition toward
violence and environmental factors such as a dysfunctional family, negative role models, or
fewer and poorer friendships (Schonert-Reichl, 1993). However, it should be noted that
children labeled emotionally disturbed or behavior disordered are also likely to be victims of
bullying (Flynt, S. W., & Morton, R. C. (2004).
In a large-scale cross-sectional study of 21,646 middle school and high school students
including 2,519 students with disabilities stated that the students with disabilities reported
higher rates of fighting then there peers without.

Online Harassment
Technology based harassment can include using cellphones, the internet, and social
media. Schools, law enforcement, parents are struggling to educate youths and establish rules
with limited research. Youths reporting harassment that involves technology are more likely to
report range of concurrent issues. These can include detention, suspensions, and/or skipping
school. Incidents that occur online appear to be the least harmful to youths and have the least
amount of consequences.
In conclusion, youths with disabilities, big or small, one or more, are victims of bullying
and it is not represented enough. Studies are continuing to be made of people representing
these students who may not have a voice or able to defend themselves. Bullying in schools still
exists and is an everyday issue.

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Bibliography

Craig, W. M., Henderson, K., & Murphy, J. G. (2000). Prospective teachers' attitudes toward
bullying and victimization. School Psychology International, 21, 5-21.
Flynt, S. W., & Morton, R. C. (2004). Bullying and Children with Disabilities. Journal of
Instructional Psychology, 31(4), 330–333.
Rose, C. A., Stormont, M., Ze Wang, Simpson, C. G., Preast, J. L., & Green, A. L. (2015). Bullying
and Students With Disabilities: Examination of Disability Status and Educational Placement.
School Psychology Review, 44(4), 425–444
Rose, C. A., Simpson, C. G., & Moss, A. (2015). The bullying dynamic: Prevalence of involvement
among a large‐scale sample of middle and high school youth with and without disabilities.
Psychology in the Schools, 52, 515 – 531.
Schonert-Reichl, K. A. (1993). Empathy and social relationships in adolescents with behavioral
disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 18, 189-204.
Simanton, E., Burthwick, P., & Hoover, J. (2000). Small-town bullying and student-on-student
aggression: An initial investigation of risk. The Journal of At-Risk Issues, (Winter/Spring), 4-10.
Wells, M., Mitchell, K. J., Jones, L. M., & Turner, H. A. (2019). Peer Harassment among Youths
with Different Disabilities: Impact of Harassment Online, in Person, and in Mixed Online and In-
Person Incidents. Children & Schools, 41(1), 17–24