The inverse association between psychological resilience and emerging school refusal among bullied autistic youth.
Teaching bullied autistic teens to manage angry thoughts keeps them coming to school.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Bitsika et al. (2022) asked bullied autistic boys about their resilience and school refusal.
They used surveys in both elementary and secondary schools.
The team wanted to know if stronger resilience means fewer days the boys try to avoid school.
What they found
For secondary-school boys, higher resilience linked to lower school refusal.
The key skills were calming angry thoughts and staying in control.
Elementary boys showed no link; resilience did not predict refusal at that age.
How this fits with other research
Maïano et al. (2016) showed nearly half of students with autism face bullying, so the risk is common.
Deniz et al. (2026) tracked the same group over time and found chronic bullying hurts mental health; Vicki’s work adds that resilience can soften the blow.
DeNigris et al. (2018) seems to disagree: they found chronic bullying in college students boosts self-acceptance. The gap is age and outcome. Teens may grow from past pain, but right now strong coping skills still keep them in class.
Why it matters
You can teach calming and thought-control tactics to bullied autistic teens. Quick drills like counting to ten, reframing insults, or brief self-talk may cut school refusal. Start small, practice daily, and track attendance.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Autistic youth are often bullied at school, which may lead to school refusal (SR). Currently, there is little research on factors that may help prevent SR among autistic youth. To advance theory-driven preventative interventions, this study examined associations between psychological resilience and emerging SR (ESR) among autistic youth bullied at school. METHODS: Fifty-eight autistic boys in elementary school (grades 1-6; n = 36) or secondary school (grades 8-11; n = 22) who were bullied at school responded to an online survey, as did their mothers. Boys reported on the experience of being bullied, psychological resilience (via the Social Emotional Assets and Resilience Scale), and ESR. Their mothers provided information regarding the boys' Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis. RESULTS: Fifty-six percent of this sample of bullied autistic youth displayed ESR. For the secondary school boys there was a significant inverse relationship between psychological resilience and ESR, principally via two characteristics of psychological resilience: 'controlling negative thoughts' and 'remaining calm when angry'. No significant relationship was found between psychological resilience and ESR among elementary school boys. CONCLUSION: Longitudinal research is needed to determine whether psychological resilience serves as a factor protecting against the emergence of SR among autistic youth who have been bullied.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2022 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104121