RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BULLYING EXPOSURE AND SOCIAL SKILLS IN ADULT INDIVIDUALS WITH LEVEL 1 SUPPORTIVE-GRADE ASD

• Grant number: 25/02179-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Bernardo Carramão Gomes
• Grantee: Yan Ribeiro Maia Amante
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neuropsychiatric condition that manifests deficits in the areas of communication, socialization, and restricted behavioral patterns. Its etiology involves genetic and environmental factors, affecting neurological development, usually identified in childhood. Social skills, essential for social approval, are defined as the ability to interact in a pleasant and efficient manner, directly influencing the individual's well-being. Bullying, aggression resulting from an imbalance of power, is very present in the lives of autistic children/adolescents due to social difficulties, communication, and stereotypes, further affecting the social skills of these individuals. This study seeks to analyze the relationship between exposure to bullying during childhood/adolescence and the impact on the social skills of young adults with ASD with level 1 support, incorporating their perspectives, aiming to contribute to the Brazilian understanding of this dynamic and provide a scientific basis for future investigations.Methods and analysis: The study will analyze 30 adult patients with level 1 ASD from CAISM Vila Mariana. Selection criteria include age (18-30 years), confirmed diagnosis and previous response to the Social Skills Inventory. The instruments used are the inventory and the Revised Olweus Bullying Questionnaire. This is a retrospective cross-sectional cohort study, seeking qualitative and quantitative interpretation of the results. Procedures involve telephone contact, virtual consent, online application of the bullying questionnaire and analysis of open-ended responses. Quantitative data will be statistically compared using Pearson's correlation coefficient to assess the impact of bullying on social skills, and responses to questions will undergo lexical analysis using the ALCESTE software.Ethics and dissemination: approval and free and informed consent of patients are required, as there is direct involvement with this population. The results of this research will be disclosed at scientific events.