A Hidden Crisis in Plain Sight
Dating violence among teenagers is a recognized public health problem, but one population has been largely invisible in the research: neurodivergent youth. A new nationally representative study from Boston University now reveals that young people with mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions experience dating abuse at alarming rates, far exceeding those of their neurotypical peers.
Published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, the study surveyed 846 U.S. youth aged 11 to 21 and found that 74 percent of neurodivergent respondents who had a dating partner in the past year experienced at least one form of psychological, cyber, physical, or sexual abuse. The odds of victimization were approximately double those of non-neurodivergent youth.
Breaking Down the Numbers
Lead author Dr. Emily Rothman, chair of the occupational therapy department at Boston University's Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, describes the findings as sobering. Psychological abuse was the most prevalent form, reported by 66 percent of neurodivergent youth with dating partners. Cyber abuse, including harassment through social media and messaging platforms, followed at 56 percent.
Physical abuse was reported by 28 percent of respondents, and sexual abuse by 33 percent. These rates significantly exceed national averages for the general adolescent population, where approximately one in four teens reports some form of dating violence.
Which Conditions Carry the Highest Risk?
The study assessed youth with a range of conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism, and learning disabilities. While the research found elevated risk across the board, the specific intersections of condition type, abuse type, and demographic factors are complex and will require further study to untangle.
