BULLYING AND DEPRESSSION AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

This study examined the level of bullying among college students in terms of physical, verbal, social, and cyber, as well as the level of depression felt/ experienced by college students. The study scrutinized the significant relationship between the level of bullying and the level of depression among college students for the school year 2019-2020. Also, it investigated to which dimension/s of bullying significantly predict/s depression among college students. The study used a descriptive-predictive research design with a sample of 341 UM Digos college students who were selected through random sampling and with the aid of mean, Pearson product-moment correlation, and linear regression analysis as statistical tools. Verbal bullying was known to be very prevalent among college students; however, the level of depression was moderately experienced and sometimes observed based on the results. All four forms of bullying reported having a correlative relationship with depression. Verbal, social, and cyberbullying were known to be the best predictors and factors of experiencing episodic depression among college students. Hence, the proposed null hypothesis has been rejected. Results indicated the significance to further study the verbal, social, and cyber because of its association with depression, which was dominant among the college students. More so, the study showed the importance of investigating the remaining factors that affect depression.