Bullying hits 9 in 10 autistic pupils surveyed in Spain

Nine in ten autistic pupils surveyed in Spain have faced bullying during the school year, a study reported from Madrid on 4 November 2026 finds. In 60% of cases, at least one form of bullying happened repeatedly. The study by the Confederación Autismo España involved 259 pupils aged 8 to 20 at Spanish schools, all linked to organisations in its network.

Bullying often took several forms at once. One of the most serious, the researchers found, was being excluded by other pupils. They say those experiences need to be understood alongside pupils’ friendships, opportunities to take part and sense of belonging at school.

The study found no significant difference by sex. It found some differences between school settings, but no stage of education or type of schooling was free from bullying of autistic pupils.

An expert group is calling for closer coordination between those dealing with bullying cases and more effective, specialist responses. It says every school has a part to play in improving how pupils get along.

The findings come as the number of autistic pupils identified in Spanish classrooms continues to grow. In the 2024–2025 school year, more than 108,000 were recorded in mainstream non-university education, according to Spain’s Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sport. They made up 1.30% of all pupils and nearly 34% of those with special educational needs linked to a disability.

Topics: Education

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com