Search Results (357)

Bullying and victimization are prevalent in school and sport settings, yet they are rarely examined concurrently. This study explored the relationships between school and sport bullying among youth athletes, assessing whether demographic and sport-related factors are associated with these behaviors across contexts. Participants included 189 youth athletes (aged 8–15 years) from Central Macedonia, Northern Greece. They completed a demographic survey and the Bullying and Victimization Questionnaire twice, assessing both school and sport environments. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) evaluated the effects of gender, educational level, sport type, and contact classification, followed by regression analyses. Results showed that educational level yielded a significant multivariate effect, with secondary school students reporting higher involvement in school bullying, sport bullying, and sport victimization. Crucially, regression analyses revealed that school-context bullying and victimization were the strongest factors associated with corresponding behaviors in sports. Additionally, team sport participation was associated with sport victimization, while demographic factors were related to school bullying perpetration. These findings demonstrate the interconnected nature of bullying between school and sport environments, emphasizing the critical need for coordinated, multi-contextual prevention strategies among educators and coaches. Full article

This study examines workplace bullying within the middle-management tier of a large Gauteng-based retail organisation in South Africa, with a focus on structural organisational pressures and perceptual differences among managers. While traditional research often emphasises individual personality traits or victim demographics, this study explores how organisational conditions—particularly the “middle management squeeze” and performance-driven Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)—are reflected in workplace behaviours. Grounded in a positivist paradigm, a quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among a probability-based sample of 253 retail managers. Data were collected using the Negative Acts Questionnaire (NAQ-22) and analysed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and nonparametric inferential tests. The findings indicate that task-related negative acts, such as micromanagement (M = 2.00) and persistent monitoring (M = 1.87), are frequently experienced. EFA identified two dimensions—General Harassment and Managerial Control—accounting for 62% of the total variance. Inferential results show that perceptions of General Harassment differ significantly across educational groups (p = 0.0268), whereas perceptions of Managerial Control remain consistent (p = 0.3378). These findings indicate that social forms of incivility are interpreted differently across educational cohorts, while task-related managerial practices are widely normalised. The study highlights the importance of understanding workplace bullying as both a structural and perceptual phenomenon and underscores the need for organisational interventions that address systemic pressures rather than relying solely on individual-level approaches. Full article

Background/Objectives: Bullying victimization is a significant threat to adolescents’ psychological well-being and academic functioning. However, most prior research has relied on variable-centered approaches that may obscure meaningful heterogeneity in students’ victimization experiences. The present study aimed to identify latent subtypes of bullying victimization among adolescents in Saudi Arabia using nationally representative PISA 2022 data and to examine whether the structure and prevalence of these subtypes differed across gender. Methods: Data were drawn from the Saudi Arabian sample of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 and included 6709 adolescents. Bullying victimization was assessed using 11 categorical indicators representing different forms of victimization. Weighted descriptive analyses were first conducted to estimate the prevalence of specific bullying behaviors. Multigroup latent class analysis (LCA) was then applied separately across gender to identify victimization profiles and evaluate measurement and structural invariance. Sequential invariance testing was used to determine whether the latent classes had equivalent meaning and prevalence across males and females. This study involved secondary analysis of an existing large-scale educational dataset and did not require trial registration. Results: Weighted descriptive estimates showed that the prevalence of specific bullying victimization experiences ranged from 7.5% to 24.3%, with boys reporting greater exposure than girls on most overt and coercive forms. Class enumeration supported a parsimonious three-class solution for both genders, reflecting low, moderate, and high victimization severity. Approximately 71–79% of students were classified in the low-risk group, 14–18% in the moderate-risk group, and 3–14% in the high-risk group. Measurement invariance testing supported full invariance of item-response probabilities across gender, indicating that the latent classes represented substantively comparable victimization patterns for males and females. In contrast, structural invariance was not supported, as males were more likely to belong to the high-victimization class, whereas females were more likely to be classified in the low-risk group. Conclusions: The findings indicate that gender differences in bullying victimization are attributable to differences in the level of exposure rather than differences in the underlying structure of victimization experiences. Bullying victimization appears to be concentrated within a relatively small but highly vulnerable subgroup of adolescents. These results support the importance of universal school-based anti-bullying policies and prevention initiatives, while also highlighting the need for targeted psychosocial support and protective interventions for students experiencing chronic or multiple forms of victimization. Full article

Background: Workplace bullying constitutes a persistent psychosocial risk in public service settings, where hierarchical structures and limited exit opportunities may intensify employees’ psychological strain. Although previous research has documented associations between workplace bullying and burnout, less is known about the psychological processes through which bullying translates into emotional exhaustion and the contextual conditions under which these processes are activated, particularly in public sector contexts. Method: This study used survey data from 234 public service employees working in administrative, educational, and non-clinical healthcare institutions across three major cities in Türkiye (Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir). Participants who were frequently exposed to workplace bullying were selected to examine the detrimental cycle that victims experience. A moderated mediation model (PROCESS Model 7) was tested to examine emotion-focused coping as a mediating mechanism between workplace bullying and burnout, operationalized through emotional exhaustion, and to assess whether this indirect effect was conditional on perceived bystander silence. Results: Findings indicated that workplace bullying was associated with increased reliance on emotion-focused coping only when perceived bystander silence was high. The conditional indirect effect of workplace bullying on burnout via emotion-focused coping was significant at higher levels of bystander silence, whereas no indirect effect emerged under low silence conditions. Conclusions: These findings suggest that burnout does not arise as an automatic consequence of bullying exposure but unfolds through coping processes that are activated in socially silent environments. By highlighting the conditional role of bystander silence, this study emphasizes the value of social context in shaping how public service employees respond to workplace bullying and how burnout develops. We discuss the practical implications for organizational interventions that aim to reduce bystander silence and support healthier coping processes in organizations. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased adolescent digital engagement, but whether the rise in cyberbullying persists beyond the crisis is not well understood, especially in Southeast Asia. This study examined social media addiction, perceived stress, emotional intelligence, and cyberbullying among 416 Thai secondary students (grades 7–12) during the pandemic-to-endemic transition (June–October 2023). Participants completed validated Thai-language instruments assessing cyberbullying, social media addiction, perceived stress, and emotional intelligence. Results showed 66.4% of adolescents were involved in cyberbullying, with 32.2% as bully-victims. Social media addiction correlated with cyberbullying perpetration (r_s = 0.33, p < 0.001) and victimization (r_s = 0.22, p < 0.001), as did perceived stress (r_s = 0.20 and 0.29; p < 0.001). Emotional intelligence showed negative correlations with cyberbullying perpetration (r_s = −0.15, p = 0.002) and victimization (r_s = −0.10, p = 0.048). Over one-third (34.4%) were at high risk for social media addiction. These findings indicate that during the pandemic-to-endemic transition, Thai adolescents showed elevated cyberbullying involvement, high social media addiction, and moderate-to-high stress—a profile consistent with sustained digital risk. These results highlight the need for integrated interventions that address digital wellness, stress management, and the development of emotional intelligence among Thai adolescents. Full article

Coping serves as a protective function in students’ responses to school bullying. Previous studies have proposed several models to explain how victims cope with school bullying, but most of these frameworks were developed in Western contexts. Grounded in these frameworks, this qualitative study explores how victims cope with different developmental stages of school bullying within the Chinese cultural context. Using grounded theory and constant comparative analysis, we analyzed retrospective self-reports from 67 Chinese university students who described bullying experiences from elementary to high school. The analysis identified four key coping categories: emotional response, endurance and avoidance, cognitive reconstruction, and action-oriented resistance. Based on these coping strategies, we developed a Victims’ Coping Strategies Model structured along two axes: engagement–disengagement and a cognitive–emotional to cognitive–behavioral continuum. By capturing the complex interplay of internal and external strategies influenced by Chinese sociocultural norms, the model demonstrates the developmental and context-dependent nature beyond static classifications of coping strategies. The findings contribute to cultural and developmental understandings of victim responses and inform practical implications for intervention. Full article

The emotional responses to bullying victimization are central to its impact on subsequent psychological consequences, but the role of specific emotions is insufficiently defined within a comprehensive framework. In order to enhance the understanding of the emotional experiences of bullying victims, the present review examines the role of self-conscious emotions (i.e., humiliation, shame, and guilt), the role of basic emotions (i.e., anger and fear), and various psychological consequences (e.g., anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation). A non-systematic, narrative approach was employed to synthesize the findings, with a total of 343 articles included in the review. Self-conscious emotions appear to be central to bullying victimization, with humiliation being particularly pivotal due to its link to internalized self-devaluation, perceived injustice, and attribution of cruelty to the perpetrator. In turn, anger and fear seem to constitute crucial basic emotions in response to bullying dynamics. Although anger may escalate aggression, it may also facilitate positive confrontational behaviors when properly channeled, whereas fear may contribute to avoidance and increased victimization if sustained. Adverse psychological consequences such as anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem, and suicidal ideation are prevalent among victims of bullying, potentially exacerbated in vulnerable groups. Future research should further explore the role of emotions in the context of bullying victimization, examining their impact on both mental health outcomes and behavioral patterns over time. Exploring how different emotional responses interact and influence each other within bullying dynamics could provide insights into effective intervention strategies, and a more comprehensive understanding of the sociocultural factors influencing emotional responses to bullying might help in customizing prevention and support measures across diverse contexts. Full article

Backgrounds: Cyberbullying represents a major concern for students, yet most studies rely on quantitative and adult-centered perspectives. Understanding adolescents’ views on cyberbullying is crucial for prevention. Method: We conducted sixteen focus groups with 220 Italian middle school students (ages 11–13). Transcripts were inductively analyzed to identify domains, core ideas, and the occurrence of categories (general, typical, variant) using the Consensual Qualitative Research method. Results: Four main domains emerged: definitions, behaviors, roles, and coping strategies. Adolescents defined cyberbullying as a hostile online interaction marked by publicity, often followed by anonymity; few mentioned repetition. Direct acts such as insults, threats, and non-consensual image sharing were viewed as the most harmful behaviors, followed by impersonation and identity theft, while online challenges and other forms were less mentioned. Students mainly perceived cyberbullying as a dyadic interaction between bully and victim, showing limited awareness of pro-bullies, few references to bystanders, and no mention of defenders. Finally, participants focused on victims’ responses with little attention to bystanders’ coping strategies. Conclusions: By revealing a nuanced understanding of cyberbullying, adolescents emphasize the need for prevention programs that not only address online risks but also build on their own language, perspectives, and experiences. Full article

Peer victimization during preadolescence constitutes a significant public mental health concern, particularly for children with special educational needs (SEN). Family relational factors, and especially paternal acceptance–rejection, may influence children’s psychosocial adjustment and vulnerability to victimization. The present study examined the associations between perceived paternal acceptance–rejection, multidimensional self-perception, and peer victimization among preadolescents with and without SEN. A total of 660 students attending the final grades of Greek primary schools (553 without SEN; 107 with formally identified SEN) completed standardized self-report measures of peer victimization, perceived paternal acceptance–rejection, and self-perception domains. Separate path analyses were conducted for each group to examine direct and indirect relational pathways. Among children without SEN, perceived paternal hostility/aggression was directly associated with peer victimization and indirectly associated through behavioral conduct problems and lower school competence. In contrast, among children with SEN, the absence of paternal warmth and perceived paternal indifference/rejection were directly associated with victimization, whereas paternal hostility was not significantly associated, and self-perception did not function as a mediator. Model fit indices indicated excellent fit in both groups. These findings suggest distinct paternal relational mechanisms underlying peer victimization depending on SEN status. Interventions aimed at preventing victimization may benefit from incorporating father-focused family components alongside school-based strategies, with particular emphasis on emotional warmth and support for children with SEN. Full article

Digital victimization has been increasingly linked to adverse mental health outcomes during adolescence; however, less is known about its association with depressive symptoms when accounting for other forms of peer victimization and underlying psychological mechanisms. This study examined the relationship between lifetime digital victimization and depressive symptoms in a nationally representative sample of Chilean adolescents (N = 11,439) and tested the mediating role of self-esteem. Lifetime exposure to digital victimization, emotional bullying, and harassment were assessed using dichotomous indicators. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Birleson Depression Self-Rating Scale, and self-esteem with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Overall, 27.2% of Chilean adolescents reported lifetime digital victimization. The proposed model showed an adequate fit to the data (CFI = 0.992; TLI = 0.942; RMSEA = 0.065; SRMR = 0.012). Lifetime exposure to digital victimization was directly associated with higher depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem, and self-esteem significantly mediated this association after controlling for age and in-person peer victimization. These findings highlight the importance of self-esteem as a key mechanism linking digital victimization and depressive symptoms in adolescents. Full article

Bullying—a form of deliberate aggressive behaviour where one peer causes harm to another in the context of a power imbalance—is among the top threats facing youth. Witnessing bullying can evoke many feelings, including anxiety, especially for individuals who have been victimized of bullying in the past. Anxiety can shape how individuals navigate social situations, including if and how bystanders intervene in bullying situations. The current study examined how previous bullying victimization, state anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity interact to influence defending behaviours while witnessing social exclusion in a virtual reality (VR) environment. Data were collected from 40 undergraduate participants who completed self-report measures and an in-lab VR task where they had the opportunity to defend against social exclusion. Although bullying victimization was unrelated to state anxiety, results of a moderated mediation model indicated that trait anxiety sensitivity moderated the link between state anxiety and peer defending. For those with low anxiety sensitivity, increased state anxiety after witnessing social exclusion predicted higher rates of defending. However, for individuals with high anxiety sensitivity, the opposite pattern was found, such that state anxiety predicted lower rates of defending. Given these findings, bullying prevention programmes should consider incorporating strategies to address anxiety sensitivity to promote peer defending. Full article

Several immediate and distal social environmental factors work directly and indirectly with one another to contribute to multiple forms of peer victimization. Bullying is the most prevalent form of peer victimization during adolescence; however, peer victimization typically takes the form of indirect aggression during young adulthood. Therefore, we examined how perceptions of school and neighborhood income inequality worked through perceptions of school climate, neighborhood violence, and neighborhood distrust to predict retrospective adolescent bullying victimization and current young adulthood indirect peer victimization. In a cross-sectional sample of 460 young adults (M_age = 20.2, SD_age = 2.18; 59.6% women; 40.4% men; 51.6% White), path analyses revealed that higher school income inequality indirectly predicted higher levels of bullying and indirect peer victimization through lower school climate. Higher neighborhood income inequality also indirectly predicted higher levels indirect peer victimization through higher neighborhood violence. Our findings highlight the importance of targeting adverse environmental risk factors to prevent and intervene in multiple forms of peer victimization across development. Full article

Bullying is not a dyadic interaction between victim and perpetrator, but a relational phenomenon involving multiple group networks: those who exercise physical, psychological, or symbolic violence; those who encourage it; those who suffer it; and those who, while aware of it, remain on the sidelines. Preventing bullying, or stopping it once it emerges, requires undermining the support base that sustains it: no one should play the role of cheerleader, and those who remain passive must become involved in defending those targeted. It is also necessary to foster in those who are bullied the strength and capacity to confront the situation. From a Freirean perspective, this implies weaving alliances between those who are kindred and those who are different, and even with outsiders, to oppose those who act antagonistically. Such a task demands debate, reflection, and the collective formulation of measures among the diverse group realities in schools, given that bullying is grounded in the refusal to recognize certain others as part of “us”, though we are all “others” to one another. This article sets out arguments for the need to address these diverse group realities and presents the phases and main contents of a participatory process for designing and implementing a School Coexistence Plan, drawing on the Participatory Construction of Peaceful Coexistence method as a framework for addressing bullying. Full article

This study examined the association between bullying and cyberbullying, both in victims and aggressors, and students’ perceived competence in English as a foreign language. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 444 Spanish students (50.00% boys, mean age = 13.27 ± 1.64 years). Perceived English competence was assessed using the Questionnaire of English Self-Efficacy (QESE), while involvement in bullying and cyberbullying was measured with the European Bullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (EBIP-Q) and the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (ECIP-Q). Associations were analyzed using ANCOVA and binary logistic regression, controlling for age, BMI, maternal education level, and weekly physical activity. The results showed that cyberbullying victimization was consistently associated with lower self-perceived competence in all English skills, particularly among boys, who reported scores up to 12.1% lower and were up to 6.3 times more likely to report low self-efficacy in writing. Girls also showed a higher risk, with up to 5.6 times more likelihood of low scores in oral expression. As for aggression, boys involved in both traditional and cyberbullying showed significant reductions in all language domains, especially in writing and reading. Girls demonstrated a more specific pattern, with negative associations mainly in cyberaggression, showing significantly lower self-efficacy competence in all four skills. These findings highlight the need for gender-sensitive interventions that promote emotional safety and reinforce students’ self-efficacy in language learning. Educational programs involving students, teachers, and families are recommended to foster confidence, reduce fear of errors, and create supportive environments for communicative practice. Full article

Background/Objectives: Bullying refers to a specific form of mistreatment that occurs in the school setting and is characterized by intentionality and persistence over time. It should be noted that some elements, such as low self-esteem and lack of social skills, are usually present in both victims and aggressors, so interfering in these aspects can lead to a decrease in the incidence. Thereby, being a victim of bullying is a key factor in the development of multiple mental health issues, such as depression or even suicide. Consequently, mental health nurses play a fundamental role in health education in order to be able to act when necessary and to prevent these types of unfavorable circumstances that can lead to psychiatric disorders. This systematic review aimed primarily to evaluate the effectiveness of psychoeducational programs in reducing school bullying and, secondarily, to analyze their influence on children’s self-esteem. Methods: Data were obtained through a comprehensive search of PubMed, Cochrane, and Scielo, following PRISMA guidelines. Studies evaluating evidence-based interventions, including the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP), the KiVa Anti-Bullying Program (KiVa), Positive Behavioral Support systems, and standardized social–emotional learning programs, were eligible for inclusion. Results: Findings revealed that most interventions showed a positive impact on bullying reduction and self-esteem improvement. However, effectiveness differed depending on contextual factors, such as the educational stage, school climate, cultural setting, and the degree of family involvement, as well as the extent to which each program was adapted to the specific needs of each school environment. Conclusions: Psychoeducational programs demonstrate overall effectiveness in reducing bullying behaviors and enhancing self-esteem in children. Nevertheless, outcomes differ depending on school characteristics, cultural context, and the level of family participation, highlighting the need for interventions tailored to each educational setting. Full article