Peer Victimization

Peer victimization is typically defined as being the target, directly or indirectly, of an aggressive action. In this context, aggression is defined as an action/behavior that is intended to harm the target of that action/behavior. Here, it is important to distinguish between the terms peer victimization and bullying, which are often incorrectly used to mean the same thing. Bullying refers to being a target of aggression, but differs from peer victimization in that bullying requires that the aggressor has power – in terms of status, physical size or strength, or psychological control – over the target of the aggression. Thus, all bullying falls under the definition of peer victimization but not all peer victimization falls under the definition of bullying. Peer victimization targeting those with ASD, in most instances, should be classified as bullying since the symptoms of ASD and associated social difficulties make it unlikely that they have more power than someone...