Forms and Lived Realities of Bullying Among College Students: A Phenomenological Inquiry
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Abstract
Bullying in higher education remains an important but comparatively underexamined concern. While existing research has documented the prevalence and forms of bullying among university students, fewer studies have examined how students themselves experience and make meaning of bullying within their everyday university environments. This study explored the forms and lived realities of bullying among college students at Aklan State University (ASU), Ibajay Campus. Specifically, it examined the forms of bullying experienced by college students and the essence of their lived experiences. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed with eight purposively selected undergraduate students who had experienced bullying within the university context. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews from December 2025 to February 2026 and analyzed using Colaizzi’s Seven-Step Method, with QDA Miner used to support data organization and coding. The findings showed that participants experienced multiple and overlapping forms of bullying, including verbal bullying, cyberbullying, social or relational bullying, psychological or emotional bullying, public shaming, discrimination, and physical or indirect bullying. Their lived realities were characterized by social isolation, emotional and psychological distress, diminished dignity and self-worth, persistent feelings of insecurity, and reduced participation in university life. The findings suggest that bullying was experienced not simply as an isolated interpersonal event but as a disruption of students’ sense of belonging, dignity, and psychological safety within the university environment. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory provided a contextual lens for situating these experiences within interconnected peer, academic, digital, and institutional environments. The study contributes context-specific phenomenological evidence on bullying in Philippine higher education......
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