2 - (SYM 3) Adolescent Peer Victimization Predicts Future Internalizing Symptoms in Autism and ADHD When Assessed Using a Disability-adapted Measure

Neurodivergent (e.g., autistic, ADHD) youth are at increased risk for peer victimization and subsequent negative outcomes, including depression and suicidality (Holden et al., 2020; Simons & Antshel, 2021). Mechanisms of vulnerability are largely unestablished, in part due to use of measures designed for neurotypical youth and that require reading competency (Falla et al., 2021; Fisher & Taylor, 2015). The Assessment of Bullying Experiences (ABE) questionnaire is a disability-specific measure of peer victimization for autistic and ADHD youth with increased accessibility via digital assessment methodology. This study examined sensitivity to detect the effect of bullying on future internalizing symptoms using the ABE video (ABE-V) and written (ABE-W) formats compared to the community-validated Olweus Bullying Questionnaire (OBQ). Participants were 82 adolescents (M_age = 13.82, SD_age = 1.96; 64.63% boys, 57.50% White, non-Hispanic) with a diagnosis of autism (n = 50) and/or ADHD (n = 59). Youth completed measures of bullying during a virtual appointment, parents asynchronously completed the BASC-3 PRS at two timepoints (3-6 months apart). Path analysis with FIML identified direct effects of greater ABE-V bullying on more severe future BASC-3 depression (β = .41, SE = .12, p < .001) and BASC-3 anxiety (β = .35, SE = .12, p = .004), and similarly when measured by the ABE-W (depression: β = .31, SE = .13, p = .013; anxiety: β = .23, SE = .13, p = .075). However, these effects were more difficult to detect or undetectable when measured by the OBQ (depression: β = .25, SE = .14, p = .077; anxiety: β = .17, SE = .14, p = .245). Using the ABE-V, exploratory modeling identified BASC-3 emotional self-control as a mediator of the relationships between peer victimization and future internalizing symptoms with greater time 1 bullying victimization predicting more impaired time 2 emotional self-control (β = 0.29, SE = .12, p = .012), which was then associated with greater time 2 depression (β = .80, SE = .05, p < .001; Sobel Z = 2.08, p = .038) and anxiety (β = .73, SE = .08, p < .001; Sobel Z = 2.01, p = .044). Mediation effects were not detected when measured via the ABE-W (Sobel Z’s = 1.61-1.65, p’s = .10-.11) or OBQ (Sobel Z’s = 0.80-0.81, p’s = .42). In sum, findings emphasize the need for disability-specific measurement adaptations in both content and format to clarify causal impacts of peer victimization on internalizing symptoms in autism and ADHD. Developing neurodivergent youth’s emotion regulation skills may facilitate resilience to bullying and buffer negative outcomes.