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Journals / Balıkesir Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Volume: 15 Issue: 3

Peer Bullying And Empathy In Middle School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Türkan Akyol Güner(ZONGULDAK BÜLENT ECEVİT ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-0138-0669
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Publication Date
2026-10-08
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

School-based prevention programs should prioritize these contextual factors.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: To examine the relationship between peer bullying and empathy among middle school students in the context of violence exposure and sociodemographic variables.
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Key Findings & Data:Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 310 students (159 girls, 151 boys; age range: 10–14 years) from a state middle school in northwestern Turkey.
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Conclusion & Impact:School-based prevention programs should prioritize these contextual factors.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Peer bullying · Empathy · Middle school students

Abstract

Objective: To examine the relationship between peer bullying and empathy among middle school students in the context of violence exposure and sociodemographic variables. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 310 students (159 girls, 151 boys; age range: 10–14 years) from a state middle school in northwestern Turkey. Data were collected using a Sociodemographic Information Form, the Empathy Level Determination Scale (ELDS), and the Peer Bullying Scale (PBS). Independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA with Tukey HSD, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression were used. Results: A low-level significant positive correlation was found between empathy and bullying (r=0.211, p<0.001). Girls showed significantly higher empathy than boys (p<0.001); no gender difference in bullying was found (p=0.441). Parental education was positively associated with empathy. Violence exposure was the strongest predictor of bullying (victimization: η²=0.140, d=1.40; witnessing: η²=0.119, d=0.74). Fewer close friends was associated with higher bullying scores (F(6,303)=3.050, p=0.007). Empathy explained only 4.5% of bullying variance (R²=0.045). Conclusion: Violence exposure and peer support networks are primary determinants of bullying; empathy alone is insufficient. School-based prevention programs should prioritize these contextual factors.

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Cite This Article

Güner, T. A. (2026). Peer Bullying And Empathy In Middle School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study. Balıkesir Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, Volume: 15 Issue: 3. https://doi.org/10.53424/balikesirsbd.1977709

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