El maltrato entre iguales por abuso de poder y exclusión social en estudiantes de una universidad privada de la ciudad de Barranquilla

In this paper we present the results of a descriptive study whose main goal was to determine the incidence of peer maltreatment due to the abuse of power and social exclusion, demonstrated in a sample of 116 students of a private university in the city of Barranquilla. We used a student questionnaire (Defensor Del Pueblo, 2000) originally designed for school populations in Spain, and subsequently adapted to Colombia by Hoyos and Cordoba (2005). For the purposes of this research we made adjustments to this questionnaire in relation to a university context. The results confirm the presence of peer maltreatment in the university, although the situation is not alarming. The phenomenon is presented with some particularities among all ages and semesters, as well as both genders. It is worth mentioning that verbal abuse is the most common manifestation, especially speaking badly about others, using nicknames, followed by social exclusion.