This study investigated whether students with learning difficulties (LDs) attending inclusive schools that eschewed segregated “pull out” programs reported more incidents of being bullied than their peers without LDs. Cognitive and self-perception factors associated with reports of peer victimization were also explored. Participants were 13 Grade 5 students with LDs and 14 classmates without LDs, matched on gender. Results showed that students with LDs self-reported significantly more incidents of being bullied than students without LDs. After statistical controls for group differences in receptive vocabulary, differences in bullying were no longer significant. Results suggest first that children with LDs in inclusive schools that eschew pull-out programs may still experience significant bullying. Second, the link between LDs, peer rejection, and victimization may reflect the social impact of language difficulties. Implications for reducing peer victimization in inclusive settings are discussed.
Bauminger, N., Edelsztein, H.S., & Morash, J. (2005). Social information processing and emotional understanding in children with LD. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 38(1), 45-61.
2.
Boulton, M.J., Trueman, M., Chau, C., Whitehand, C., & Amatya, K. (1999). Concurrent and longitudinal links between friendship and peer victimization: Implications for befriending interventions. Journal of Adolescence, 22, 461-466.
3.
Chazan, M., Laing, A.F., & Davies, D. (1994). Bullies and victims. In Emotional and behavioural difficulties in middle childhood (pp. 154-171). London: The Falmer Press.
4.
Coie, J.D., & Cillessen, A.H.N. (1993). Peer rejection: Origins and effects on children's development. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2(3), 89-92.
5.
Dunn, L.M., & Dunn, L.M. (1997). Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (3rd ed.). Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
Geisthardt, C., & Munsch, J. (1996). Coping with school stress: A comparison of adolescents with and without learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 29(3), 287-296.
8.
Graham, S., & Juvonen, J. (1998). Self-blame and peer victimization in middle school: An attributional analysis. Developmental Psychology, 34(3), 587-599.
9.
Hall, C.W., Rouse, B.D., Bolen, L.M., & Mitchell, C.C. (1993, April). Social-emotional factors in students with and without learning disabilities. Paper presented at the annual convention of the National Association of School Psychologists, Washington, DC.
10.
Harter, S. (1985). Manual for the Self-Perception Profile for Children . Denver, CO: University of Denver .
11.
Harter, S., Whitesell, N.R., & Junkin, L.J. (1998). Similarities and differences in domain-specific and global self-evaluations of learning-disabled, behaviorally disordered, and normally achieving adolescents. American Educational Research Journal, 35(4), 653-680.
12.
Hodges, E.V.E., Boivin, M., Vitaro, F., & Bukowski, W.M. (1999). The power of friendship: Protection against an escalating cycle of peer victimization. Developmental Psychology, 35(1), 94-101.
13.
Hodges, E.V.E., & Perry, D.G. (1999). Personal and interpersonal antecedents and consequences of victimization by peers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(4), 677-685.
14.
Hugh-Jones, S., & Smith, P.K. (1999). Self-reports of short- and long-term effects of bullying on children who stammer. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 69(2), 141-158.
15.
Kaukiainen, A., Salmivalli, C., Lagerspetz, K., Tamminen, M., Vauras, M., Maki, H., et al. (2002). Learning difficulties, social intelligence, and self-concept: Connections to bully-victim problems. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 43, 269-278.
16.
Kavale, K.A., & Forness, S.R. (1996). Social skill deficits and learning disabilities: A meta-analysis. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 29(3), 226-237.
17.
Klingner, J.K., Vaughn, S., Schumm, J.S., Cohen, P., & Forgan, J.W. (1998). Inclusion or pull-out: Which do students prefer?Journal of Learning Disabilities, 31(2), 148-158.
18.
Knox, E., & Conti-Ramsden, G. (2003). Bullying risks of 11-year-old children with specific language impairment (SLI): Does school placement matter ? International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders , 38(1), 1-12.
19.
Lopez, C., & DuBois, D.L. (2005). Peer victimization and rejection: Investigation of an integrative model of effects on emotional behavioural, and academic adjustment in early adolescence. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34(1), 25-36.
20.
Mamlin, N., Harris, K.R., & Case, L.P. (2001). A methodological analysis of research on locus of control and learning disabilities: Rethinking a common assumption. Journal of Special Education, 34(4), 214-225.
21.
Martlew, M., & Hodson, J. (1991). Children with mild learning difficulties in an integrated and in a special school: Comparisons of behaviour, teasing and teachers' attitudes. British Journal of Educational Psychology , 61, 355-372.
22.
Mishna, F. (2003). Learning disabilities and bullying: Double jeopardy . Journal of Learning Disabilities, 36(4), 336-347.
23.
Morrison, G.M., & Furlong, M.J. (1994). Factors associated with the experience of school violence among general education, leadership class, opportunity class, and special day class pupils. Education and Treatment of Children , 17(3), 356-370.
24.
Nabuzoka, D., & Smith, P.K. (1993). Sociometric status and social behaviour of children with and without learning difficulties. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 34(8), 1435-1448.
25.
Neary, A., & Joseph, S. (1994). Peer victimization and its relationship to self-concept and depression among schoolgirls. Personal and Individual Differences, 16(1), 183-186.
26.
Nishina, A., Juvonen, J., & Witkow, M.R. (2005). Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will make me feel sick: The psychosocial, somatic, and scholastic consequences of peer harassment. Journal of Clinical Child and AdolescentPsychology, 34(1), 37-48.
27.
Norwich, B., & Kelly, N. (2004). Pupils' views on inclusion: Moderate learning difficulties and bullying in mainstream and special schools. British Educational Research Journal, 30(1), 43-65.
28.
Nowicki, S., Jr., & Strickland, B.R. (1973). A locus of control scale for children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , 40(1), 148-154.
29.
Olweus, D. (1994). Annotation: Bullying at school: Basic facts and effects of a school based intervention program. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 35(7), 1171-1190.
30.
Olweus, D. (1995). Bullying or peer abuse at school: Facts and intervention . Current Directions in Psychological Science, 4(6), 196-200.
31.
O'Moore, M., & Kirkham, C. (2001). Self-esteem and its relationship to bullying behaviour . Aggressive Behavior, 27, 269-283.
32.
Owens, L., Shute, R., & Slee, P. (2000). Guess what I just heard?: Indirect aggression among teenage girls in Australia. Aggressive Behavior, 26, 67-83.
Piek, J.P., Barrett, N.C., Allen, L.S.R., Jones, A., & Louise, M. (2005). The relationship between bullying and self-worth in children with movement coordination problems. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 75, 453-463.
35.
Rigby, K. (2000). Effects of peer victimization in schools and perceived social support on adolescent well-being. Journal of Adolescence , 23, 57-68.
36.
Roberts, C., & Zubrick, S. (1992). Factors influencing the social status of children with mild academic disabilities in regular classrooms. Exceptional Children, 59(3), 192-202.
37.
Rogers, H., & Saklofske, D.H. (1985). Self-concepts, locus of control and performance expectations of learning disabled children. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 18(5), 273-278.
38.
Rudolf, K.D., Caldwell, M.S., & Conley, C.S. (2005). Need for approval and children's well-being. Child Development, 76(2), 309-323.
39.
Savage, R.S. (2005). Friendship and bullying patterns in children attending a language base in a mainstream school. Educational Psychology in Practice, 21(1), 23-36.
40.
Sharp, S., & Smith, P.K. (1994). Understanding bullying. In S. Sharp & P. K. Smith (Eds.), Tackling bullying in your school: A practical handbook for teachers (pp. 1-5). London: Routledge.
41.
Singer, E. (2005). The strategies adopted by Dutch children with dyslexia to maintain their self-esteem when teased at school. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 38(5), 411-423.
42.
Smith, P.K., & Brain, P. (2000). Bullying in schools: Lessons from two decades of research. Aggressive Behavior, 26, 1-9.
43.
Smith, P.K., Shu, S., & Madsen, K. (2001). Characteristics of victims of school bullying: Developmental changes in coping strategies. In J. Juvonen & S. Graham (Eds.), Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized (pp. 332-351). New York: Guilford.
44.
Solberg, M.E., & Olweus, D. (2003). Prevalence estimation of school bullying with the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. Aggressive Behaviour , 29, 239-268.
45.
Stainback, S., Stainback, W., & Ayres, B. (1996). Schools as inclusive communities. In W. Stainback & S. Stainback (Eds.), Controversial issues confronting special education: Divergent perspectives (2nd ed., pp. 31-43). Boston : Allyn & Bacon.
46.
Stanovich, P.J., Jordan, A., & Perot, J. (1998). Relative differences in academic self-concept and peer acceptance among students in inclusive classrooms. Remedial and Special Education, 19(2), 120-126.
47.
Sveinsson, A.V. (2006). School bullying and disability in Hispanic youth: Are special education students at greater risk of victimization by school bullies than non-special education students? Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities andSocial Sciences, 66(9A), 3214.
Troop-Gordon, W., & Ladd, G.W. (2005). Trajectories of peer victimization and perceptions of the self and schoolmates: Precursors to internalizing and externalizing problems. Child Development, 76(5), 1072-1091.
50.
Vaughn, S., Elbaum, B.E., Schumm, J.S., & Hughes, M.T. (1998). Social outcomes for students with and without learning disabilities in inclusive classrooms. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 31(5), 428-436.
51.
Vaughn, S., & Klingner, J.K. (1998). Students' perceptions of inclusion and resource room settings. Journal of Special Education , 32(2), 79-88.
52.
Wehmeyer, M.L., & Schalock, R.L. (2001). Self-determination and quality of life: Implications for special education services and supports. Focus onExceptional Children, 33(8), 1-17.
53.
Wenz-Gross, M., & Siperstein, G.N. (1997). Importance of social support in the adjustment of children with learning problems. Exceptional Children, 63(2), 183-193.
54.
Whitney, I., & Smith, P.K. (1993). A survey of the nature and extent of bullying in junior/middle and secondary schools. Educational Research , 35(1), 3-25.
55.
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 (pp. 213-240). London: Routledge.
56.
Woodcock, R.W., McGrew, K.S., & Mather, N. (2001). Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Achievement. Itasca, IL: Riverside Publishing.
