Social-Ecological Correlates of Bullying Victimization Among Early Adolescent Students with Disabilities

Background and Purpose: Bullying victimization (BV) is a risk factor for a range of negative health, social, and academic outcomes. Youth with disabilities experience higher levels of BV at schools compared to their non-disabled counterparts. Disability status plays an important role in shaping power dynamics in peer and school contexts and contributing to these higher levels of BV. So far, few studies have examined within-group differences in BV among students with disabilities (SWDs). Moreover, research is needed that examines the risk factors for BV among SWDs. Using ecological systems theory and social disorganization theory, this study aims to identify the individual- and school-level correlates of BV among early adolescent SWDs. This developmental stage is associated with important social and environmental transitions that increase the risk for BV.

Methods: This study used the public-use dataset from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11, which produced a nationally representative sample of kindergartners in the United States. We used the final wave (Spring 2016) for data analysis, when most students were in fifth grade. SWDs were identified as those who had an Individualized Education Plan in Spring 2016 (N=1,310). The final analytic sample included 827 SWDs from across 535 schools. BV was assessed as the mean score of the four self-report items asking children to report the frequency of four types of BV during the school year (never to very often; 0 to 4). Information about individual-level factors (gender, race/ethnicity, household poverty) and school-level factors (school’s size and location, school-level poverty and bullying, implementation of school-based programs for promoting positive behaviors) was obtained from parents, school administrators, and/or administrative records. A multilevel regression model with a random intercept was used for statistical analysis.

Results: The mean level of BV among the final sample was 1.23 (SD=1.07), with 28% of the sample indicating a frequency of BV from sometimes to very often. Four correlates were found to be statistically significant while controlling for all other individual- and school-level factors—(1) Hispanic identity, (2) household poverty, (3) school location, and (4) school-level poverty. Specifically, the mean BV was lower among Hispanic disabled students than non-Hispanic white disabled students and higher among disabled students from households below the poverty line than those from higher income households. In addition, the mean BV among SWDs was lower in schools located in suburban or urban areas than rural schools and higher in schools where the majority of students (50 to 100%) were eligible for free or reduced-price school meals than schools where less than 25% of students were eligible.

Conclusions and Implications: A major finding is that low-income status, both at the individual and school levels, was significantly associated with higher levels of BV among disabled early adolescent students. Lack of socioeconomic resources may play direct and indirect roles in shaping their BV experiences, suggesting the benefit of implementing anti-bullying programs for disabled students in resource-limited schools. Additional research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms associated with the relationship between poverty and BV risk for SWDs.