SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH, cilt.16, ss.1-15, 2024 (SSCI)
This study aimed to examine the psychosocial predictors of peer bullying among middle
school students. For this purpose, structural equation modeling (SEM), including peer
bullying, school culture, parental rejection, basic psychological needs, and social emotional
learning (SEL) skills, was tested. The data were collected from 565 middle school students
[286 (50.6%) female, 279 (49.4%) male]. Based on SEM, school culture and SEL skills
directly predict peer bullying; basic psychological needs predict peer bullying through SEL
skills; school culture predicts peer bullying through basic psychological needs and SEL
skills; parental rejection predicts peer bullying through SEL skills; parental rejection
predicts peer bullying through basic psychological needs and SEL skills. In addition, the
model explains approximately 34% of the total variance of peer bullying.