Time and support do not heal all wounds: Mental health correlates of past bullying among college students

• Published in: Journal of American college health Vol. 68; no. 3; pp. 227 - 235
• Main Authors: Manrique, Melissa, Allwood, Maureen A., Pugach, Cameron P., Amoh, Nana, Cerbone, Alexandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 02.04.2020; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Anxiety Disorders - epidemiology; Anxiety Disorders - etiology; Bullying; Bullying - psychology; College students; Commuter Colleges; Counseling services; Crime Victims - psychology; depression; Depression (Psychology); Depressive Disorder - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder - etiology; Female; Gender Differences; High Schools; Humans; long-term psychological consequences; Male; Measures (Individuals); Mental depression; Mental Health; Middle Schools; New England; Perceived social support; Perceptions; Post traumatic stress disorder; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; PTSD; Racial Differences; Risk Factors; Secondary schools; Self Report; social support; Social Support Groups; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - etiology; Students - psychology; Symptoms; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Time Factors; Undergraduate Students; Universities; Young Adult; New England; PTSD; social support; college students; long-term psychological consequences; Anxiety; depression; bullying
• ISSN: 0744-8481; 1940-3208
• DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2018.1538999

Objective: We examined whether perceptions of being bullied during middle and high school were associated with depressive, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms during college. We also examined whether perceived social support (PSS) mediated the association between bullying and symptoms, and explored whether parental, peer, or other sources of support was most beneficial. Participants: Undergraduates (N = 270) from an urban commuter college in the Northeast participated during Spring 2013 or Fall 2015. Methods: Psychometrically sound self-report measures were used to assess symptoms and perceptions of bullying and social support. Results: As hypothesized, bullying was associated with more symptoms, and PSS significantly mediated the associations between bullying and symptoms of PTSD and depression. Conclusion: The college years provide another opportunity to address the effects of middle and high school bullying. Receiving current support for past bullying is beneficial but is not enough, college counseling services are needed to reduce symptoms.