Exploring the Involvement of Bullying Among Students With Disabilities Over Time

Students with disabilities are disproportionately involved within the bullying dynamic. Few studies have investigated the bullying involvement of youth with disabilities over time. The current study evaluated the victimization and perpetration rates of 6,531 students in Grades 3 through 12, including 16% with disabilities, over the course of 3 years. Results revealed that students with disabilities experienced greater rates of victimization and engaged in higher levels of perpetration than their peers without disabilities over time. In addition, the discrepancy in victimization and perpetration rates between youth with and without disabilities remained consistent longitudinally. Results from this study support the recommendation that students with disabilities should receive direct instruction in social and communication skills to buffer these adverse experiences.