Autistic Youth Being Ignored by Peers: An Early-Stage Study.
About 40 percent of autistic high-schoolers say peers ignore them often, and that silent treatment predicts higher depression and anxiety even after you account for overt bullying.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Frankenstein et al. (2026) asked autistic high-schoolers how often peers ignore them. They used an online survey. About 40 percent said it happens a lot.
What they found
Kids who were ignored more also had worse autism symptoms, more peer victimization, and higher depression and anxiety. The link stayed even after removing the effect of overt bullying.
How this fits with other research
Maïano et al. (2016) found 44 percent of autistic students face any school bullying. V et al. zoom in on one quiet form—being ignored—and show it hurts mental health on its own.
Begeer et al. (2016) saw no victimization gap between autistic and typical boys in special-ed middle schools. The new high-school survey finds a clear 40 percent rate. The clash fades when you see younger kids, different settings, and milder victimization types.
Deniz et al. (2026) tracked bullying from childhood to age 17. Three-quarters of autistic youth stayed on a chronic path. V et al. add that even the subtle act of being ignored forecasts later anxiety and depression.
Why it matters
You can add one question to your intake: “Do classmates ignore you?” A yes flags risk for mood problems before grades slip or refusal starts. Pair it with Christophe’s broad bullying screen and Emre’s call for early supports. Target peer inclusion lessons or peer-mentor clubs to cut the silent treatment, not just the loud bullying.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Autistic youth have been shown to be at risk for negative peer experiences, but experiences of being ignored are rarely examined in this group. This study is an early-stage examination of the experience of being ignored in autistic youth. Objectives are to test psychometric properties of a measure of being ignored; describe rates of being ignored; identify who is most at risk for being ignored; and test the association of being ignored with other social experiences and psychological health. One hundred and forty-nine autistic high school students with full scale IQs of 70 or above (M = 99.86, SD = 16.5) and aged 15-23 years completed self-reported, online surveys regarding day-to-day experiences, well-being, and psychological health. Parents completed additional measures assessing ASD symptomology and other demographic and clinical characteristics. A confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha indicated good psychometric properties for the Ignore factor. While the average score on the Ignore scale was relatively low, ~40% reported often having at least one type of experience of being ignored. Being ignored was associated with having more SRS-2 Restricted Interests/Repetitive Behaviors and Social Communication and Interaction Problems. Peer victimization was associated with higher rates on the ignore scale and social inclusion scale was associated with lower rates of being ignored. Multiple regressions controlling for peer victimization and inclusion found being ignored to be associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety. The findings suggest that being ignored may be an especially impactful experience for autistic youth.
Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 2026 · doi:10.1002/aur.70213