Children with some developmental disorders face six to eight times the bullying risk of their peers, psychiatrist Celso Arango says. Language or communication difficulties can increase that exposure, particularly among children diagnosed with conditions such as autism spectrum disorders. The estimate applies to specific developmental conditions, not automatically to all children with special educational needs or disabilities. Bullying can also contribute to mental health problems and trap a child in a cycle of vulnerability.
In LINKlusive, a prevention programme developed in 20 schools and evaluated among thousands of students, victimisation among primary pupils with special educational needs fell by 45.6% in the intervention group. It did not fall in the control group. Arango cautions that results depend on age and should be interpreted carefully. The sample size and assessment criteria, along with the 45.6% figure, have not been independently verified, so these remain reported programme results.
A global estimate cited in the research context puts the average bullying risk for children with disabilities at about 1.5 times that of other children. This differs from estimates for specific developmental conditions, so the figures should not be directly compared.
The figures put prevention in focus. Children need to recognise distress and ask for help, while schools should teach empathy. Arango says explaining the harm bullying causes can often stop it. Classmates who witness bullying can also respond. Research links bullying with poorer psychological well-being, including lower self-esteem and loneliness. It also links bullying to relationship difficulties and poorer social or educational well-being.
A 2022 study in JAMA Pediatrics found that children with neurodevelopmental diagnoses face greater bullying risk than neurotypical peers. Arango identifies being perceived as different as the leading risk factor, particularly when that difference shows up in how a child acts or thinks. Children with intellectual disabilities or autism may be targeted. The same applies to children with dyslexia or ADHD, whose social interaction difficulties can be visible to others. Bullies may expect them not to fight back. Findings on specific diagnoses and broader estimates for children with disabilities draw on different populations and methods, so the figures are not interchangeable.
The study identified autistic children and those with ADHD as especially at risk. Among autistic children, the likelihood of bullying was higher for 12- to 17-year-olds than for younger children. The relationship also runs in both directions: developmental conditions can increase the chance of victimisation, while bullying can raise the risk of mental health problems.
UNICEF’s global context identifies children with disabilities as especially vulnerable and points to the importance of confidential channels for reporting violence, including bullying. It provides no verifiable official document for precise prevalence figures, so no rate is quoted here.
The consequences can surface much later. Research in Schizophrenia Bulletin links childhood trauma and neurodevelopmental adversity with a greater likelihood of psychotic experiences in adulthood. The study found that childhood trauma had a stronger predictive impact than developmental problems. It did not conclude that neurodivergent people are biologically more vulnerable to trauma. Frequent bullying may help explain the connection.
Online spaces can make it harder for some young people to get away from harassment. ESTUDES 2025 reports that adolescents aged 14 to 18 spend an average of five hours a day on the internet on weekdays. Arango warns that cyberbullying can reach a teenager at home, while a digital record can spread beyond its original setting.
As SINC reports, Arango says child and adolescent mental health cannot be addressed only after a young person reaches a clinic. Schools can identify pupils who need support and connect them with health professionals.
