Emerging adults' recollections of peer victimization experiences during middle school

This study examined memories of peer victimization by eliciting narratives from university students (N = 210) about one previous experience of peer maltreatment during middle school, and investigating how these recollections related to current levels of adjustment. The majority of participants described an experience of social victimization (70.0%) or physical victimization (16.7%), and analyses examining form of victimization were limited to these participants (n = 182). Previous experiences of peer maltreatment during middle school were associated with negative indices of adjustment in early adulthood. The implications of our findings for school intervention programs are discussed.

► Most young adults recalled a middle school memory of social victimization. ► Memories of adolescent peer victimization were related to myriad forms of adult maladjustment. ► Both frequency of victimization and affective responses predicted maladjustment.