ASD Symptoms, Social Skills, and Comorbidity: Predictors of Bullying Perpetration

Children with ASD are more likely to be involved in bullying compared to typically developing peers; however, studies rarely examine bullying perpetration and the contributing factors among this population. The primary aim of this study was to examine the extent to which parent-reported ASD symptoms, social skills, and comorbid externalizing and internalizing symptoms predicted bullying perpetration in a sample of 390 children with ASD without intellectual disability. Findings from hierarchical regression analyses indicated that social skill deficits, externalizing symptoms (i.e., hyperactivity, aggression, and conduct problems), and depressive symptoms were associated with higher likelihood of bullying perpetration, while severity of ASD symptoms and anxiety were not significant predictors. Further research is needed to better understand bullying perpetration among children with ASD.