The Effects of Childhood Trauma Experiences and Attachment Styles on Cyberbullying and Victimization among University Students

Abstract

The purpose of this research; to reveal the prevalence of cyberbullying and victimization among university students; to determine whether childhood traumatic experiences, attachment styles and cyber bullying and victimization levels differ in terms of some variables and to reveal the effects of childhood trauma experiences and attachment styles on cyberbullying and victimization. Personal Information Form, Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory-II (EII-II), Childhood Trauma Experience Scale (CTES) and Cyber Victimization and Bullying Scale (CVBS) were used as data collection tools in the study. A high level, positive significant relationship was found between the scores of the university students in the Cyber Victim subscale and the Cyber Bully subscale (r=.656; p=.000). There was a low level, positive significant correlation between the scores of the Cyber Victim subscale and the Avoidant Attachment and Anxious Attachment subscale (r = .129; p = .004; r = .193; p = .000). As students' avoidant and anxious attachment levels increase, their cyber victimization levels increase. In addition, a positive significant relationship was found between the scores of the students in the Cyber Victim subscale and Childhood Trauma scores (r = .286; p = .000). The results obtained in this study show that avoidant, anxious attachment styles and childhood traumatic experiences are predictive factors in terms of cyberbullying and cyber victimization. In this context, it is important for families to establish a healthy communication with their children in terms of preventing cyberbullying and victimization.