The number of pupils with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) attending mainstream schools is increasing, but there is evidence that their needs may not be fully met. Previous research has suggested that such pupils are at an increased risk of social exclusion. In light of this, the aim of the current study was to examine the sociometric status, perceived levels of peer social support, and the frequency of bullying experienced by this group of learners. Our sample comprised 40 pupils with ASD, 40 pupils with dyslexia, and a reference group of 40 pupils with no identified special educational needs, matched by age and gender (and, for the ASD and dyslexic groups, the stage of the SEN Code of Practice). Participants completed the Social Support Scale for Children (Harter, 1985) and the My Life in School Questionnaire (Arora & Thompson, 1987), and their peers completed the Social Inclusion Survey (Frederickson & Graham, 1999). Our analyses indicated that pupils with ASD experienced higher levels of rejection and lower levels of acceptance than either reference group. They also reported lower levels of peer social support and higher levels of bullying. These findings are discussed in relation to previous research and the efficacy of the inclusion movement.
Ahmad, Y. ( 1997). A multi-methodological approach to measuring bullying in schools and the effectiveness of one intervention strategy. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Sheffield.
2.
Arora, C., & Thompson, D. ( 1987). Defining bullying for the secondary school. Educational and Child Psychology, 4, 110-120.
3.
Barnard, J., Prior, D., & Potter, A. ( 2000). Autism and inclusion: Is it working?London: National Autistic Society.
4.
Barnard, J., Broach, S., Prior, D., & Potter, A. ( 2002). Autism in schools: Crisis or challenge?London: National Autistic Society.
5.
British Educational Research Association ( 2004). Revised ethical guidelines for educational research. Southwell: British Educational Research Association .
6.
British Psychological Society (2004). Code of conduct, ethical principles and guidelines. Leicester : British Psychological Society.
7.
Bromley, J., Hare, D.J., Davison, K., & Emerson, E. ( 2004). Mothers supporting children with autistic spectrum disorders: Social support, mental health status and satisfaction with services. Autism, 8, 409-423.
8.
Chamberlain, B., Kasari, C., & Rotherham-Fuller, E. (2007). Involvement or isolation? The social networks of children with autism in regular classrooms. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 230-242.
9.
Cohen, J. ( 1992). A power primer. Psychological Bulletin , 112, 155-159.
10.
Connor, M. ( 2000). Asperger syndrome (ASD) and the self-reports of comprehensive school students. Educational Psychology in Practice, 16, 285-296.
11.
Department for Children, Schools and Families ( 2008). Bullying involving children with special educational needs and disabilities. Nottingham: Department for Children, Schools and Families Publications.
12.
Department for Education and Skills (1997). Excellence for all children: Meeting special educational needs. Nottingham: Department for Education and Skills.
13.
Department for Education and Skills (2001). Special educational needs: Code of practice. Nottingham : Department for Education and Skills.
14.
Department for Education and Skills (2006). Permanent and fixed period exclusions from schools and exclusion appeals in England 2004/05. Nottingham: Department for Education and Skills Publications.
15.
Dumont, M., & Provost, M.A. ( 1999). Resilience in adolescents: Protective role of social support, coping strategies, self-esteem, and social activities on experience of stress and depression. Journal of Youth and Adolescence , 28, 343-363.
16.
Dybvik, A.C. ( 2004). Autism and the inclusion mandate. Education Next, 4, 42-49.
17.
Dyslexia Action ( 2009). What is dyslexia? Retrieved March 2009 , from http://www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk.
18.
Frederickson, N.L., & Furham, A.F. ( 1998a). Use of sociometric techniques to assess the social status of mainstreamed children with moderate learning difficulties. Genetic, Social and General Psychology, 124, 381-433.
19.
Frederickson, N.L., & Furham, A.F. ( 1998b). Sociometric-status-group classification of mainstreamed children who have moderate learning difficulties: An investigation of personal and environmental factors. Journal of Educational Psychology , 90, 772-783.
20.
Frederickson, N.L., & Graham, B. ( 1999). Social skills and emotional intelligence. Windsor: NFER-Nelson.
21.
Frederickson, N., Simmonds, E., Evans, L., & Soulsby, C. ( 2007). Assessing the social and affective outcomes of inclusion . British Journal of Special Education, 42, 105-115.
22.
Green, H., McGinnity, A., Meltzer, H., Ford, T., & Goodman, R. ( 2005). Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain , 2004. London: Office for National Statistics.
23.
Gottlieb, J. ( 1971). Attitudes of Norwegian children towards the retarded in relation to sex and situational context. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 75, 635-639.
24.
Gus, L. ( 2000). Autism: Promoting peer understanding. Educational Psychology in Practice, 16, 461-468.
25.
Harden, A., Thomas, J., Evans, J., Scanlon, M., & Sinclair, J. ( 2003). Supporting pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) in mainstream primary schools: A systematic review of recent research on strategy effectiveness. London: Institute of Education.
26.
Harter, S. ( 1985). Social support scale for children. Denver, CO: University of Colorado.
27.
Heiman, T., & Berger, O. ( 2008). Parents of children with Asperger syndrome or with learning disabilities: Family environment and social support. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 29, 289-300.
28.
Howlin, P. ( 1998). Children with autism and Asperger syndrome. London: Wiley.
29.
Humphrey, N., & Lewis, S. ( 2008). ‘Make me normal’: The views and experiences of pupils on the autistic spectrum in mainstream secondary schools. Autism: An International Journal of Research and Practice, 12, 39-62.
30.
Humphrey, N., & Symes, W. ( 2010). Perceptions of social support and experience of bullying among pupils with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) in mainstream secondary schools. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 25, 77-91.
31.
Jordan, R. ( 2005). Autistic spectrum disorders. In A. Lewis, & B. Norwich (Eds.), Special teaching for special children? (pp. 110-122). Buckingham : Open University Press.
32.
Keen, D., & Ward, S. ( 2004). Autistic spectrum disorder: a child population profile . Autism, 8, 39-48.
33.
Little, L. ( 2002). Middle class mothers’ perceptions of peer and sibling victimisation among children with Asperger’s syndrome and nonverbal learning disorders. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing , 25, 43-57.
34.
Luther, E.H., Canham, D.L., & Cureton, V.Y. ( 2005). Coping and social support for parents of children with autism. The Journal of School Nursing, 21, 40-47.
35.
Moore, C. ( 2007). Speaking as a parent: Thoughts about educational inclusion for autistic children. In R. Cigman (Ed.), Included or excluded? The challenge of mainstream for some SEN children (pp. 34-41). London : Routledge.
36.
Muller, E., Schuler, A., & Yates, G.B. ( 2008). Social challenges and supports from the perspective of individuals with Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities . Autism, 12, 173-190.
37.
National Autistic Society (2003). Autism and education: The ongoing battle. London: National Autistic Society.
38.
National Autistic Society (2006). B is for bullied. London: National Autistic Society.
39.
Ochs, E., Kremer-Sadlik, T., Solomon, O., & Sirota, K.G. ( 2001). Inclusion as social practice: Views of children with autism. Social Development, 399-419.
40.
Office for Public Management (2006). The equalities review: issues paper on 5-19 age group. London: Office for Public Management.
41.
Osler, A., & Osler, C. ( 2002). Inclusion, exclusion and children’s rights: A case study of a student with Asperger syndrome. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 7, 35-54.
42.
Renty, J., & Roeyers, H. ( 2006). Quality of life in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder: The predictive value of disability and support characteristics . Autism, 10, 511-524.
43.
Robertson, K., Chamberlain, B., & Kasari, C. ( 2003). General education teachers’ relationships with included students with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 33, 123-130.
44.
Robledo, J., & Donnellan, A. ( 2008). Properties of supportive relationships from the perspective of academically successful individuals with autism. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 46, 299-310.
45.
Sandra, I.N., Miller, P., Short, J., & Wolchik, S.A. ( 1989). Social support as a protective factor for children in stress. In D. Belle (Ed.), Children’s social networks and social supports (pp. 277-308). London: Wiley.
46.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (1994). The Salamanca statement and framework for action on special needs education. Spain: Ministry of Education and Science.
47.
Vellutino, F.R., Fletcher, J.M., Snowling, M.J., & Scanlon, D.M. ( 2004). Specific reading disability (dyslexia): What have we learned in the past four decades? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45, 2-40.
48.
Volker, M.A. ( 2006). Reporting effect size estimates in school psychology research. Psychology in the Schools, 43, 653-672.
49.
Wainscot, J.J., Naylor, P., Sutcliffe, P., Tantam, D., & Williams, J. ( 2008). Relationships with peers and use of the school environment of mainstream secondary school pupils with Asperger syndrome (High-functioning autism): A case control study. International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 8, 25-38.
50.
Whitney, I., Smith, P.K., & Thompson, D. ( 1994). Bullying and children with special educational needs . In P. K. Smith, & S. Sharp (Eds.), School bullying: Insights and perspectives. London: Routledge .
51.
Wing, L. ( 2007). Children with autistic spectrum disorders. In R. Cigman (Ed.), Included or excluded? The challenge of mainstream for some SEN children (pp. 23-33). London : Routledge.
52.
Woods, K. ( 2002). What do we mean when we say? dyslexia? and what difference does it make anyway? In P. Farrell, & M. Ainscow (Eds.), Making special education inclusive (pp. 139-150). London: David Fulton.
