Cyberbullying Victimization among College Students: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis

1. INTRODUCTION Existing empirical studies on the phenomenon of cyberbullying among elementary, middle, and high school students have identified and examined its prevalence, common methods of abuse, as well as the overall impact that victimization has on youngsters and early adolescents (Campbell, 2005; DeHue, Bolman, & Vollink, 2008; Juvonen & Gross, 2008; Kowalski & Limber, 2007). Conclusions made by researchers from these studies indicate that cyberbullying is a serious and growing problem locally, nationally, and globally, due primarily to advances in technology and the widespread ownership of technological devices among youth, adolescents, and young adults (Yardi & Bruckman, 2011). In schools, research shows that cyberbullying events do occur in elementary school, are predominant in the middle school years, and slightly decline during the high school grade levels. The impact among victims of this abuse manifests within students in the form of negative psychological, emotional, and social relationship problems (Blair, 2003; Juvonen & Gross, 2008; Patchin & Hinduja, 2006). Moreover, the abuse often results in poor academic performance by student victims (DeHue et al., 2008; Delaney-Black et al., 2002; Van der Kolb, 2003; Wong et al., 2007) and often leads some victims to become cyberbullies themselves (National Crime Prevention Council, 2010). A significant element defining cyberbullying is the negative differential that exists between the cyberbully and the victim in that the cyberbully holds a position of dominance within the relationship (Campbell, 2005; Froeschle et al., 2008; Privitera & Campbell, 2009; Ortega et al., 2009). Mason (2008) argues that "like other forms of bullying, cyberbullying is centered on the systematic abuse of power and control over another individual who is perceived to be vulnerable and weaker, and that this power imbalance makes it difficult for some victims to defend themselves" (p.323). In some instances, the impact of cyberbullying is so strong that it causes many youngsters and adolescents to avoid school, school functions, and refrain from normal activities they usually enjoy (Dempsey et al., 2009). The same holds true for older adolescents and young adults in that the impact of cyberbullying can be so powerful that they avoid attending classes or going to work. In some extreme cases the cyber abuse can be so relentless and tormenting that victims turn to suicide as a means of escaping the abuse (Hirst, 2010; Klomek, Sourander, & Gould, 2010). However, a gap in the literature exists pertaining to the study of cyberbullying victimization among college students. Stories in the national news, such as the student suicide at Rutgers University in 2010, offer a stark reality that cyberbullying does indeed exist within higher education (The New York Times, 2010). The lack of empirical research among this demographic means that existing literature lacks scientific evidence of victim experiences, as well as an understanding of the meaning and interpretation student victims give of their experiences. In response to this dearth of evidence within higher education, this research sought to gain a fundamental understanding of the impact that cyberbullying has on adolescents and adults in college by looking at the phenomenon from the participants' unique personal perspective. 2. METHODS The method used for this study is qualitative in nature using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) as a research approach to explore how college students make sense of their lived experiences as a result of their victimization from cyberbullying. IPA serves as an effective data gathering tool for researchers because it is an attempt to get as close as possible to the personal experience of an individual by allowing them to turn their thought processes back to the detailed events of a unique, lived experience. From this process subsequent examination and analysis of that experience can take place by the researcher. …