Students who identify as neuroatypical experience violence and social exclusion at school significantly more often than their neurotypical peers, according to a new report presented at SWPS University.
The findings suggest that differences in how students function are becoming a major risk factor for bullying.
The report, titled “Bullying – the Perspective of Neuroatypicals. School Experiences in Neurodiversity,” was developed under the “Break the Cycle of Violence in Your School” project by SWPS University, the UNIQA Foundation, and the RESQL team. Researchers analyzed data from more than 12,800 students across 88 secondary schools that used the RESQL anti-bullying system in 2024.
Neurodiversity describes natural variations in brain functioning. Neuroatypical individuals may process information differently, show heightened or reduced sensitivity to stimuli, or behave differently in social settings. The concept encompasses conditions such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Nearly 9% of respondents identified as neuroatypical, and another 13% as “rather neuroatypical,” meaning that more than one in five students surveyed saw themselves as part of the neurodiverse spectrum.
The report shows that neuroatypical students are far more likely to experience various forms of aggression. More than 16% reported being the target of crude jokes, compared with 5% of neurotypical students. Over 15% experienced isolation from peers (versus 4%), and incidents of pushing or hitting were up to five times more common in this group.
“The bullying experienced by neuroatypical individuals does not happen because the children who bully them are bad,” said Dr. Małgorzata Wójcik, professor at SWPS University. “It results from our inability to create a positive, supportive atmosphere at school.”
Wójcik emphasized the importance of building understanding and inclusion in classrooms. “When peers notice that someone behaves differently or needs special adjustments, and no one explains this, friction and a sense of injustice arise,” she said. She noted that in some cases, open communication helps: when teachers and parents explained a student’s sensitivities to the class—such as discomfort with loud voices, unexpected touches, or direct eye contact—other students began to respect those boundaries.
Dr. Agnieszka Tomasik, principal of General Education School Complex No. 8 in Gdańsk, said schools should treat accommodations for neuroatypical students as standard. “Education law assumes that schools should be inclusive,” she said. In her school, a student with ADHD may sit on an exercise ball, and classroom layouts allow students who need movement to walk or run during lessons. A quiet study area is available for those overwhelmed by large groups.
According to Dr. Piotr Rycielski, psychologist at SWPS University and co-author of the study, school experiences directly affect the mental and physical health of neuroatypical students. “People in this group are significantly more likely to experience headaches (41% vs. 18.7%), back pain (48.7% vs. 26%), anxiety (45.6% vs. 10%), and difficulty falling asleep (50.7% vs. 22.4%),” he said. “Psychoeducation and emotional support are an urgently needed ‘first aid kit.’”
The RESQL system, developed by SWPS researchers, enables students to anonymously report bullying—either as victims or witnesses—and helps schools monitor and respond to incidents systematically.
“Bullying arises within the system—in a classroom, in a group,” Wójcik said. “It is our responsibility, as adults, to organize it so it does not happen. And that is possible.”
Ludwika Tomala (PAP)
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