Social exclusion was reported by 89% of the students in a study of 259 autistic pupils aged 8 to 20 enrolled in Spanish schools and connected with organizations in the Autismo España network. The research by Autismo España found that more than 92% had experienced at least one form of peer mistreatment, while 60% said at least one form occurred many times or almost always. Presented on 4 November 2026, the findings identified social exclusion as the most common experience.
The report, titled «Datos actualizados sobre acoso escolar y autismo 2026. Estudio del fenómeno, resultados y recomendaciones», draws on questionnaires completed by students and their mothers, fathers or primary caregivers. Autistic people reviewed and helped adapt the questionnaires so students could describe their experiences.
Exclusion took forms such as being ignored, left out of a group or prevented from joining games and activities. Students also reported verbal violence (69.1%), direct physical violence (47.5%), intimidation or coercion (45.2%), indirect physical violence (39.4%), conduct of a sexual nature (37.1%) and cyberbullying (17%). A student could report more than one form of mistreatment, so the percentages overlap.
Recognising what is happening can itself be difficult. Almost 77% said they struggled to tell whether classmates were picking on them, and only 51% thought they would know whom to approach for help. More than 57% said they would feel embarrassed to disclose such an experience.
Although 62% said they had a trusted adult at school, the findings show that schools cannot rely on reports alone to detect mistreatment. The report calls for schools to provide understandable information, accessible and safe ways to raise concerns, and trusted adults students can turn to. Autismo España’s expert group also called for stronger coordination among schools, families, public authorities and specialist organizations, alongside more effective, specialized responses.
Autismo España found no statistically significant differences between autistic boys and girls in the overall presence of mistreatment or its different forms. It also reported that no educational stage or schooling modality was free of the problem. The findings concern peer treatment; a separate Madrid school discipline proposal covered how schools may respond to misconduct. Ministry of Education figures for the 2024-2025 academic year counted more than 108,000 autistic students in non-university general-regime education, equal to 1.30% of students in that sector and about 34% of students with disability-associated special educational needs.
The report recommends coordinated steps by public administrations, schools, professionals and families to prevent mistreatment and identify it early. A multidisciplinary group spent more than two years preparing a guide on bullying and cyberbullying involving autistic students. Participating bodies included Autismo España, the ministries responsible for youth and education, the General Council of the Judiciary, the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Minors, the National Police, the Civil Guard, police education officers, the Spanish Data Protection Agency and the Madrid Bar Association. The planned guide is intended to set common approaches to prevention, early detection, intervention, protection, follow-up and conflict resolution, with attention to accessibility and avoiding re-victimization.
