M. Catherine Cappadocia

Bullying Experiences among Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Few studies have investigated bullying experiences among children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however, preliminary research suggests that children with ASD are at greater risk for being bullied than typically developing peers. The aim of the current study was to build an understanding of bullying experiences among children with ASD based on parent reports by examining rates of various forms of bullying, exploring the association between victimization and mental health problems, and investigating individual and contextual variables as correlates of victimization. Victimization was related to child age, internalizing and externalizing mental health problems, communication difficulties, and number of friends at school, as well as parent mental health problems. Bullying prevention and intervention strategies are discussed.

Shedding light on a pervasive problem: a review of research on bullying experiences among children with autism spectrum disorders.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by difficulties with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships. As a result, individuals with ASD are at an increased risk of bullying victimization, compared to typically developing peers. This paper reviews the literature that has emerged over the past decade regarding prevalence of bullying involvement in the ASD population, as well as associated psychosocial factors. Directions for future research are suggested, including areas of research that are currently unexplored or underdeveloped. Methodological issues such as defining and measuring bullying, as well as informant validity and reliability, are considered. Implications for intervention are discussed.

The impact of child problem behaviors of children with ASD on parent mental health: The mediating role of acceptance and empowerment:

Raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has often been associated with higher levels of parenting stress and psychological distress, and a number of studies have examined the role of psychological processes as mediators of the impact of child problem behavior on parent mental health. The current study examined the relations among child problem behavior, parent mental health, psychological acceptance, and parent empowerment. Participants included 228 parents of children diagnosed with ASD, 6–21 years of age. As expected, psychological acceptance and empowerment were negatively related to the severity of parent mental health problems. When acceptance and empowerment were compared with each other through a test of multiple mediation, only psychological acceptance emerged as a significant partial mediator of the path between child problem behavior and parent mental health problems. As child problem behavior increased, parent psychological acceptance decreased, resulting in an increase in parent mental health problems. These findings suggest that for problems that are chronic and difficult to address, psychological acceptance may be an important factor in coping for parents of young people with ASD, in line with the growing literature on positive coping as compared with problem-focused coping.

Cyberbullying prevalence, stability, and risk factors during adolescence

Although research on cyberbullying has recently begun to emerge, few researchers have used longitudinal data to explore this phenomenon in Canada. Using 1-year longitudinal data from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Study conducted by the World Health Organization, we investigated the prevalence and stability and risk factors associated with cyberbullying, cybervictimization, and simultaneous cyberbullying and cybervictimization among 1,972 adolescents. Risk factors associated with cyberbullying included higher levels of antisocial behaviors and fewer prosocial peer influences. Risk factors associated with cybervictimization included being in the transition year for high school, as well as higher levels of traditional victimization and depression. Higher levels of traditional victimization were also associated with simultaneous cyberbullying and cybervictimization. Gender differences and implications of the findings are discussed.Although research on cyberbullying has recently begun to emerge, few researchers have used longitudinal data to explore this phenomenon in Canada. Using 1-year longitudinal data from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Study conducted by the World Health Organization, we investigated the prevalence and stability and risk factors associated with cyberbullying, cybervictimization, and simultaneous cyberbullying and cybervictimization among 1,972 adolescents. Risk factors associated with cyberbullying included higher levels of antisocial behaviors and fewer prosocial peer influences. Risk factors associated with cybervictimization included being in the transition year for high school, as well as higher levels of traditional victimization and depression. Higher levels of traditional victimization were also associated with simultaneous cyberbullying and cybervictimization. Gender differences and implications of the findings are discussed.

Contextualizing the neurobiology of conduct disorder in an emotion dysregulation framework.

Conduct disorder (CD) represents the most common childhood psychiatric disorder found in community and mental health clinics. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the neurobiology of CD; specifically, neurological and neurochemical correlates. Converging evidence suggests that neurological profiles of individuals with CD, compared to peers, are characterized by reduced P300 brain wave amplitude, deactivation of the anterior cingulated cortex and reduced activation in the left amygdala in response to negative stimuli, and reduced right temporal lobe volume. The neurochemical profiles of individuals with CD are characterized by reduced serotonin and cortisol levels (i.e., decreased HPA axis function), as well as attenuated autonomic nervous system functioning. Popular theoretical frameworks cited within the CD literature are limited in their ability to explain and consolidate the neurological and neurochemical findings. We believe that emotion dysregulation theory, though not often used within CD research, may provide the most comprehensive and inclusive framework for understanding neurobiological aspects of this disorder. Limitations within the literature, future directions for research, and implications of the findings will be discussed.

Individual Motivations and Characteristics Associated with Bystander Intervention during Bullying Episodes among Children and Youth.

The aim of the current study was to explore bystander experiences during bullying episodes among children and youth attending a residential summer camp by investigating rates of witnessing and intervention, as well as individual motivations and characteristics associated with bystander intervention. The majority of children had witnessed bullying at least once in the past 3 weeks and reported intervening in some way. Among children who reported intervening, the strongest motivation appeared to be a sense of social justice. Among children who reported not intervening, the strongest motivation appeared to be the feeling that it was not their place to intervene because the bullying situation did not directly involve them and/or was not extremely severe. The determining factors for bystander intervention during bullying episodes differed between genders. Social self-efficacy predicted bystander intervention among girls, while empathy and attitudes about bullying predicted bystander intervention among boys. Implications for bullying prevention are discussed.

Bullying Victimization, Parenting Stress, and Anxiety among Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Bullying victimization is commonly associated with anxiety among individuals with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and both bullying victimization and anxiety are more prevalent among youth with ASD than in the general population. We explored individual and contextual factors that relate to anxiety in adolescents and young adults with ASD who also experience bullying victimization. Participants included 101 mothers of adolescents and young adults diagnosed with ASD. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between bullying victimization and anxiety in children with ASD, as well as parenting stress as a potential moderator of that relationship. Findings indicate that parenting stress moderates the association between bullying victimization and anxiety. The severity of anxiety was most strongly associated with bullying victimization when mothers reported high levels of stress. Implications for interventions that assist parents with coping and address bullying victimization are discussed. Autism Res 2015, 8: 727–737.

Developmental Trajectories of Adolescent Substance Use.

ABSTRACT Longitudinal data from 746 adolescents in Toronto, Canada (54% females), was gathered in eight waves over seven years (1995 through 2001), beginning when the youths were 10 to 12 years old (mean age = 11.8, SD = 1.2 years). Five trajectories of substance use were identified: chronic-high, childhood onset-rapid high, childhood onset-moderate, adolescent onset-moderate, and non-use groups. Late childhood risk factors for substance use included delinquency, academic disengagement, low parental monitoring, and associating with substance-using peers. Externalizing problems emerged as an additional risk factor for the most severe substance-using group during adolescence. Of note, the childhood onset-moderate group reported only moderate levels of substance use during adolescence despite high levels of risk during late childhood. Implications for prevention of and intervention for substance use are discussed.

When Push Comes to Shove: How Are Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder Coping With Bullying?:

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are frequent targets of peer victimization (i.e., bullying). Although the frequency and potential impact of such experiences on students with ASD has been examined, the potential coping strategies implemented by such students are relatively unexplored. This qualitative study examined coping strategies for peer victimization as suggested by 38 students with ASD who do not have cognitive impairment. Participants viewed cartoons depicting characters that experienced various forms of bullying at school and responded to open-ended questions to explore their suggested coping strategies. Thematic analysis yielded three themes: approach coping, avoidance coping, and complexities of bullying. This study provides insight into the coping strategies implemented by students with ASD and possible avenues for school-based intervention.