Exploring Differences in How Adolescents with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and their Parents Describe Bullying Victimization Experiences

Although adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are reported to experience high rates of bullying victimization, rates vary based on adolescent versus parent-report. The current study conducted interviews to explore whether adolescents with IDD perceive and describe school-based bullying victimization experiences differently from their parents and to identify potential factors for such differences. Adolescents with IDD reported more direct forms of bullying victimization, whereas parents were aware of both direct and indirect forms of bullying. Adolescents with IDD struggled to describe their bullying victimization experiences, often providing an inconsistent narrative with few details. Parents indicated that adolescents with IDD do not always report or recognize experiences of bullying victimization. Implications for future research and special education practice are discussed.