Prevalence of Bullying in California Youth with Disabilities

Youth with disabilities experience bullying at rates much higher than those who do not identify as having a disability; however, they are often underrepresented in national measures of bullying due to a lack of accessibility. This study was set to evaluate (1) how individuals with disabilities define "bullying," (2) the prevalence of bullying among youth with disabilities in comparison to national bullying rates previously reported in the literature, and (3) their knowledge of the resources available to prevent bullying. Surveys were developed and administered to participants from two populations in California: (1) youth with disabilities, (2) parents of youth with disabilities. Results of the study showed that the definition of bullying is subjective and the prevalence of bullying experienced among individuals with disabilities was 90%. Over half of the youth with disabilities and their parents were unaware of how to file an anti-bullying complaint and 29% were unsure if their school had an anti-bullying policy. This study revealed that it is imperative for the public to better understand the concept of bullying, especially among the population of individuals with disabilities, to ensure the development and enforcement of robust policies. It also highlighted the lack of knowledge among individuals with disabilities regarding current policies put in place to mitigate bullying in the schools. Results of this study emphasized the need for including adolescents with disabilities in conversations about bullying and for the development of more inclusive preventive measures.