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Autism and Bullying in the United States by Laurel Joss Editor’s Note: One of the mini themes in this month’s ASDigest is the subject of bullying. Here is an article from that edition. Bullying has always been an issue in American schools, but for students on the autism spectrum, it is especially problematic. Multiple studies consistently show that students with autism are more likely to be victims of bullying than their neurotypical peers. A 2012 study published in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine reported that 46.3% of young people with autism were victims of bullying. These findings were based on interviews with over 900 parents of children with ASDs, along with feedback from students’ teachers and principals. Another study done by the Interactive Autism Network (IAN) at the Kennedy Kreiger Institute raised that number to 63%. The 2012 study surveyed 1, 167 families of children with autism. This survey also found that 12% of the 695 unaffected siblings of children with autism were also victims of bullying, showing that the students with autism were more than three times as likely to be victims of bullying than their typically-developing peers. Anyone who is familiar with autism is certainly aware of the unique characteristics of the condition, which can leave individuals vulnerable to bullies and manipulators. Difficulties with communication and understanding social nuances contribute to the problem, especially during the middle school years, when the social rules become less clear-cut. The unspoken guidelines that define the social pecking-order can be difficult for neurotypical children to navigate, and for those on the autism spectrum, it can seem impossible. The IAN report found that bullying behaviors peaked between fifth and eighth grade, and were most intense during fifth and eighth grade, which tend to be the years prior to a transition to middle or high school. The survey also showed that student attending regular public schools were more likely to be bullied(43%) than those attending private (28%) or special-education (30%) schools. Both studies also found that students with autism were also at risk for turning into bullies themselves. According to the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine report, 14.8% of students with ASDs engaged in bullying behaviors towards others, while 8.9% reported being both victims and perpetrators simultaneously. The IAN report found that 20% of respondents had children who had engaged in bullying behaviors towards other students. The IAN report found that bullying perpetrated by students on the spectrum was not motivated by the same factors that fueled typical bullying behaviors, which are generally intended to maintain or increase social status within the peer group. Bullying behaviors from students with autism were more often attributed to a lack of social understanding, or a misperception of another’s intentions or motives. These statistics are surely upsetting, and for parents struggling to help their children with autism, they can seem insurmountable. The good news is that schools are more aware of the problem, and are making efforts to curb bullying all-around. There are also resources available to parents to help their children navigate the social world of school, and to deal with bullying when it becomes an issue. Autism Speaks has partnered with the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the PACER Center, and Ability Path to create and anti-bullying kit to help parents help their children. For more information, visit their website at http://specialneeds.thebullyproject.com/splash?splash=1.

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**District Tour Specials** Competitive Rates are available when multiple schools in your area schedule together for our District Packages.802-362-5448 BULLYING PREVENTION BOOKS, DVDS, AND POSTERS Shipping and handling is included on all orders. Fax purchase orders to: 802-549-5024 DVD Books Posters Info@StandUpToBullying.net Can you define bullying?How can teachers stop bullying? What are the different types of bullying? What is the difference between playful teasing verses hurtful taunting? How do I teach students to forgive themselves? What is verbal bullying?What is physical bullying?Who are the bystanders?What are bystander responsibilities?What are the ways to stop bullying?How should students respond to verbal bullying? 802-362-5448 Providing dynamic and practical anti-bullying workshops to students, staff and parents, Mike Dreiblatt teaches realistic bullying prevention strategies and best practices that can be used immediately to STOP bullying.Bullying Prevention PSAs!!! Mike In Action - YouTube Clips!!! Sexual Harassment Prevention Staff Professional DevelopmentWorkplace Bullying and Harassment Student, Staff, Parent Workshops Info@StandUpToBullying.net

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Teens With Autism Preoccupied With TV, Video Games: Study

HealthDay – 15 hours ago

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TUESDAY, Feb. 14 (HealthDay News) -- When given the opportunity to have screen time, children with autism spectrum disorders typically choose television and video games over social interactive media, such as email, a new study finds .

The preoccupation with video games could interfere with the children's socialization and learning, warned the researchers, whose study appears online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by problems with social interaction, communication and restricted interests and behaviors. Autism spectrum disorders, or ASDs, include Asperger syndrome, which is a milder form of autism.

In conducting the study, the researchers analyzed information on more than 1,000 teens in special education classes, including those with autism spectrum disorders, learning and intellectual disabilities, and speech problems.

About 60 percent of the teens with autism spectrum disorders spent most of their time watching TV or videos, the investigators found.

"This rate appears to be high, given that among typically developing adolescents, only 28 percent have been shown to be 'high users' of television," Paul Shattuck, an assistant professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, said in a university news release. "Television viewing is clearly a preferred activity for children with ASDs, regardless of symptoms, functional level or family status."

Moreover, 41 percent of the teens with autism spent most of their free time playing video games, the study authors found.

"Given that only 18 percent of youths in the general population are considered to be high users of video games, it seems reasonable to infer based on the current results, that kids with ASDs are at significantly greater risk of high use of this media than are youths without ASDs," Shattuck added.

In contrast, the teens with autism spectrum disorders were less likely to use email or social media.

"We found that 64.4 percent of youth with ASDs did not use email or chat at all," Shattuck said. "Kids with speech and language impairments and learning disabilities were about two times more likely to use email or chat rooms than those with ASDs."

He noted, however, use of social media increased among the teens with autism spectrum disorders as they got older and their cognitive skills improved. Cognitive is a word used to describe brain-based functions such as memory, thinking, learning and processing information.

"This proclivity for screen time might be turned into something we can take advantage of to enhance social skills and learning achievement, especially [with] recent innovations in devices like iPads," Shattuck suggested.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke provides more information onautism.

DVD teaches autistic kids what a smile means

DVD teaches autistic kids what a smile means is an article about using technology to further social learning. The DVD mentioned in the article teaches autistic children how to recognize emotions like happiness, anger and sadness through the exploits of vehicles including a train, a ferry, and a cable car. Has anyone else found technology or software to further social learning?