# Ask about bullying and exclusion

Published by Pawel Jozefiak. [About this project](https://adhd100.jock.pl/about/), [How we check sources](https://adhd100.jock.pl/methodology/)

- Canonical: https://adhd100.jock.pl/ask-about-bullying/
- Language: en
- First published: 2026-09-29
- Evidence checked: 2026-09-29, using AI-assisted source verification
- Clinical review: Not clinically reviewed
- Number 31 of 100 in the list: https://adhd100.jock.pl/#ask-about-bullying

Make it easier for your child to tell you when other kids hurt them or leave them out.

**The number:** 46.9% of children with ADHD were reported as bullied, picked on or excluded ([Journal of Attention Disorders, 2022](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9378474/))

## The evidence

- How sure: Certainty of evidence: Not rated. Measured in people with ADHD.
- Evidence grade: C. Grade C: small or mixed studies, expert consensus or clinical practice. Worth knowing, not worth betting on.
- Basis: Large US ADHD parent survey for prevalence; public-health guidance for responding, without an ADHD-specific intervention effect.
- Outcome: parent-reported bullying, picking on or exclusion in US children with ADHD
- Comparison: 2016 to 2017 survey, not an intervention benefit
- Benefit: 65/100. The benefit score is an editorial prioritization for the general list, weighted by certainty. It is not a prediction of what will happen for you.

## Why it matters

In a US parent survey, 46.9% of children with ADHD were reported as bullied, picked on or excluded. That is a broad survey measure, not a prediction for your child. It is still a good reason to ask instead of waiting for them to bring it up. Public-health guidance says to listen, check safety and work with adults at school on a response.

## How to do it

1. Ask about particular places: lunch, the bus, the group chat.
2. Stay calm, thank them for telling you, and check they are safe right now.
3. Agree the next step with the school, then keep checking that the behaviour has stopped.

## Talk to a clinician first

Seek urgent help for threats or injury. Respond to harm whether your child was targeted, harmed others or both.

## Putting it into practice

### Start now

- 1 minute: Say it out loud until it sounds like you: 'If someone is hurting or excluding you, I want to know and help.'
- 5 minutes: Ask about one part of your child's day and listen without jumping straight to advice.
- 15 minutes: If something has happened, record the basic facts and prepare a safety-focused conversation with school.

### What it looks like

- 'Who do you sit with at lunch, and does anyone make it hard for you to join in?'
- Tell school what happened and ask who will check that your child is safe.

### Common mistakes

- Blaming the child can stop them telling you anything. Make it clear the bullying is not their fault.
- Telling a child to fight back can increase danger, so work with adults on a safer response.

### Trusted how-to guides

- [How to Prevent Bullying](https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/how-to-prevent-bullying), US Department of Health and Human Services
- [Support the Children Involved](https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/support-the-children-involved), US Department of Health and Human Services

## Sources

- [Factors Associated With Bullying Victimization and Bullying Perpetration in Children and Adolescents With ADHD: 2016 to 2017 National Survey of Children's Health](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9378474/), Journal of Attention Disorders, 2022 (Tier 2 study)
- [How to Prevent Bullying](https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/how-to-prevent-bullying), US Department of Health and Human Services, 2021 (Tier 1 guideline)
- [Support the Children Involved](https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/support-the-children-involved), US Department of Health and Human Services, 2026 (Tier 1 guideline)

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General information about ADHD, not a diagnosis or an individual treatment plan. Tailoring changes the order of suggestions; it does not assess you. Medication decisions belong with you and a qualified clinician.

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