Executive functioning as a predictor of peer victimization in adolescents with and without an Autism Spectrum Disorder

The present study examined pragmatic language and executive functions (EF) as predictors of peer victimization in three groups: high-functioning adolescent boys with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (n = 30); typically developing adolescent boys (n = 40); and adolescent boys (n = 22) without ASD with special education needs (SN). Controlling for age and bullying others, regression analyses revealed EF as measured by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (Gioia et al., 2000) to be a significant predictor across all types of peer victimization (physical, social, and verbal) regardless of group membership. It is concluded that EF may play a pivotal role in explaining why some SN adolescents with and without ASD are at-risk for peer victimization. 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 613 533 2491; fax: +1 613 533 2499. E-mail address: [email protected] (E.A. Kelley). 1 In the recently published DSM-V, Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s disorder, and PDD-NOS have been collapsed into one ‘‘autism spectrum disorder’’ with one set of defining criteria (APA, 2013).