Approximately twenty percent of US students aged 12-18 report experiencing bullying victimization. Research has been conducted on the long-term effects of childhood bullying on relationships focused on adults, however, this relationship is less explored among college students. This research adds to the literature by investigating the association between attachment-related anxiety and avoidance in the relationships of college students who have a past history of bullying.

A survey was designed to collect bullying history and current attachment security in relationships from undergraduate students at Fitchburg State University.  The California Bully Victimization Scale - Retrospective (CBVS-R) is used to measure bullying victimization and attachment security is measured using the Adult Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ). The survey also collected socio-demographic information. Quantitative research methods, including descriptive analysis and correlation will be used to analyze the survey data for associations between bullying experiences and attachment security dimensions.

The collected data will be used to test two primary hypotheses. Hypothesis 1: Childhood bullying victimization is associated with higher levels of insecure attachment among undergraduate students. Hypothesis 2: Relational forms of bullying including teasing, rumor and gossip spreading, and exclusion are associated with higher levels of insecure attachment than other forms of victimization.

Understanding the impacts of bullying on the relationships of college students offers the opportunity for institutions of higher education to properly and comprehensively offer support to students who were victims of bullying in their childhood.