Bullying Differs Based On Type Of Disability, Study Finds
New research suggests that incidents of bullying and other harassment targeting kids with disabilities vary depending on what sort of special needs a child has.
A study looking at the experiences of 791 young people ages 10 to 20 across the country found that those with learning disabilities were more likely to experience in-person harassment while those with physical disabilities were more often victimized online.
Youth with depression experienced both online and in-person harassment, the study found.
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The findings published recently in the journal Children & Schools are based on data collected through a telephone survey known as the Technology Harassment Victimization study.
“The type of disability, diagnosis or special service among youths may be associated with unique vulnerabilities in terms of peer harassment experiences,” researchers from the University of New Hampshire wrote in their findings.
Those behind the study said that educators should factor the differences in how youth with disabilities experience harassment.
“We hope these findings help schools consider the context in which these events occur and possible ways to minimize risk to all youths, including those with disabilities or those receiving special services in schools,” the researchers wrote.
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