According to a new study, children with autism have a higher likelihood of being bullied by their siblings in addition to being bullied by their peers at school. The findings were published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Researchers at the University of York analysed data for more than 8000 children (231 with autism) from The Millennium Cohort Study. The children were asked questions about how often they were victims of bullying by their siblings and peers and how often they were the perpetrators of such acts.
The findings showed that two-thirds of children with autism reported their involvement in some form of sibling bullying compared with half of children without autism by the age of 11 years. A decrease in bullying was seen in both groups by the age of 14 years; however, there were differences in the specific types of involvement. Children with autism had a higher likelihood of involvement in two-way sibling bullying, as a victim and a perpetrator. Additionally, children involved in sibling bullying had a greater likelihood of experiencing short- and long-term emotional and behavioural difficulties, regardless of whether they had autism or not.
It is believed that children with autism might be given a priority over their siblings to receive parental resources such as affection, attention and material goods. This competitive environment could result in conflict and bullying between siblings.
Dr Umar Toseeb, the lead author said: "Persistent conflicts between siblings may be indicative of sibling bullying and this should not be viewed as a normal part of growing up. Parents should be aware of the potential long-term consequences of sibling bullying on children’s mental health and wellbeing.”
