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The February issue of Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology features a study that says kids with ADHD are more likely to be bullied at school–or to actually be bullies themselves.
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Researchers followed 577 Swedish fourth graders for one year, with nearly 10 percent of the boys and 1.6 percent of the girls being diagnosed with ADHD. Kids with the disorder were 4 times as likely to be bullies, and 10 times as likely as their peers to be picked on at school–even before the ADHD was diagnosed.
It’s true that kids with the impulsive or combined type of AD/HD are more likely to be the bully, but not always. The inattentive types are prime targets for being bullied, though the other two types may also find themselves on the receiving end. Impulsivity and poor attention makes it difficult for kids to learn social skills and anger management which often also leads to low self-esteem. While most kids pick-up these skills on their own, kids with AD/HD need specific instruction and practice. This is why it is so important for kids to receive psychological & behavioral interventions as a key component of their treatment program.
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February 27th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
My son, a 5th grader, has long been the target of bullying and teasing (its the same thing to me). The schools have a 0 tolerance for aggression and he’s been suspended for striking back. Following school’s directions and telling the teacher/staff just makes it worse since then he’s a “snitch”. I recently began memorizing and role playing with him. When being bullied/teased he is to say 1)”Knock it off you are being a bully”.” “..2)”you are acting like a jerk, stop it”.” “..3)”I don’t like you either (then turn and walk away). The intent is to hold the bully/teaser accountable for their behavior without either suffering in silence or getting in trouble for impulsively reacting. What do you think?
March 6th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Good Luck, Bullying has made my son rude, sarcastic & a loner. He eats lunch alone, and has almost 0 friends. He’s in 8th gr now and has had to deal with ridicule for about 3 years or more. I’ve talked to his teahcers, counselor, etc. He gets blamed alot when he’s constantly egged on and name-called. I’m pulling him out of public schools at the end of this year and putting him in a small Christian school for H.S.
March 22nd, 2008 at 11:47 am
I see that often the bully gets all the attention for his abusive behavior, while my son is left ignored with no attention at all. A better intervention for a group of kids to see would be the adult first showing their esteem for my son and making it clear that his wellbeing is the first consideration. Then the bully can be dealt with in a way that does not cause him to be the leader or hero. After all who are kids going to side with? The victim or the one who commands the most attention?
December 16th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
For Janet,
I, too have an ADHD child who is being verbally bullied almost daily. She gets into trouble often because she is caught “responding” while the bullies are flying under the radar. I have to say, while I think response #1 is a good one, I think responses #2 and 3 can be inflammatory. We are trying to teach our children that calling names is mean and inappropriate, but telling them to call someone a “jerk” is really no different. Saying, “I don’t like you either”, in my opinion, can also be counterproductive. Instead, my advice for my 7th grade daughter is to say, “that’s ok, it doesn’t bother me”. Or, “whatever” and give a look of confusion or indifference. I have explained to her that as soon as the bullies are no longer getting the reaction they are looking for and will become bored of bothering her. I am not saying this is an easy thing. It takes a lot of self control and tongue biting, but if she believes that it doesn’t matter, it will be easier to give off that vibe. Meanwhile, while she is at home, I work hard to empower her, set good examples, and lift her up so she is a stronger person when I am not around. Building up her self esteem has seemed to help.