Childhood Bullying Victimization and Mental Health Outcomes in College Students: A Review of Long-term Effects and Coping Processes

Description

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19160971

Navanitha M. and Annalakshmi N. (Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu)

Bullying victimization is a prevalent developmental stressor and is repeatedly linked with negative psychological consequences and with effects that may persist into emerging adulthood. This review aims to synthesize evidence on mental health outcomes and key coping processes among college students with a history of childhood bullying. The present review includes the literature on long-term mental health outcomes of bullying victimization in childhood, taken from electronic databases like PubMed, APA PsycArticles, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, JSTOR, using a combination of key terms related to childhood bullying victimization and mental health outcomes. Search terms included “bullying” OR “school bullying” OR “peer victimization” OR “victims of bullying” AND “childhood trauma” OR “mental health” OR “psychological distress” OR “self-esteem” OR “emotion regulation” OR “distress tolerance” OR “resilience” OR “forgiveness” OR “emerging adulthood” OR “college students”. Relevant national and international studies were examined and synthesized. Studies reveal consistent associations with increased emotional distress and deficits in psychological and social adjustment. A limited understanding persists of how psychological difficulties following bullying develop across the lifespan or interact with a person’s coping resources and contextual supports. Overall, this review also highlights the importance of integrating interventions at the college level that help to recover from the impact of childhood bullying. The review concludes by emphasizing the need for contextually sensitive, trauma-informed approaches within campus mental health systems to better support this vulnerable student population.