School Victimization of Students With Disabilities: A Synthesis of Risk and Protective Buffers and Interventions

• In Event: Examining the Body of Research in Inclusive and Special Education

Abstract

Reducing school victimization is a way to cultivate an equitable educational system for students with disabilities because it closely relates to high peer rejection and low academic and health outcomes. Students with disabilities experience school victimization at more than twice the rate of students without disabilities. This study synthesized the risk and protective factors of school victimization and anti-bullying interventions. Results show that having a disability, low family socioeconomic status, parents’ low educational level, parents’ poor mental health or psychological problems, parental lack of intimacy toward a child, a small number of close friends, and neighborhood’s low socioeconomic status. Four of seven intervention studies failed to prove its effectiveness on victimization. Discussions, implications, and limitations are discussed.

Authors

• Yeji Kim, Ohio University

• North Cooc, University of Texas at Austin