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.
Why Neurodivergent Youth Are Vulnerable
Several factors may contribute to the elevated risk. Neurodivergent young people often face challenges in reading social cues, setting boundaries, and recognizing manipulative behavior. They may also experience social isolation that makes them more dependent on romantic partners, even abusive ones, for emotional connection.
Shari Krauss, director of The Autism Program at Boston Medical Center, points to a structural gap: disability rights advocates have long noted that youth with mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions are often excluded from sexual and relationship education programming when it is offered in schools. The very population most in need of guidance on healthy relationships is the one least likely to receive it.
Recommendations for Action
Rothman emphasizes that schools, domestic violence programs, and disability service organizations all have roles to play. Standard dating violence prevention curricula were not designed with neurodivergent learners in mind and may need significant adaptation to be effective.
One promising model is HEARTS (Healthy Relationships on the Autism Spectrum), an evidence-based program that has undergone randomized controlled testing. HEARTS uses structured, concrete lessons tailored to the communication and processing styles of autistic youth, and its framework could be adapted for broader neurodivergent populations.
Digital Spaces Demand Attention
The high prevalence of cyber abuse, at 56 percent, highlights the need for digital literacy programs that address online relationship dynamics. Neurodivergent youth may be especially vulnerable to manipulation in digital environments, where the absence of nonverbal cues can compound existing difficulties in interpreting social intent.
A Call for Inclusive Research and Policy
The study is among the first to use a nationally representative sample to examine dating violence in neurodivergent youth, and Rothman hopes it will catalyze both research and policy. Current federal surveys on teen dating violence do not consistently capture neurodevelopmental status, making it impossible to track trends or evaluate interventions for this population.
Until neurodivergent youth are visible in the data, they will remain invisible in the policy response. This study makes a compelling case that visibility is urgently overdue.
