The Impact of Bullying on Happiness at Primary School: The Role of Socio-Demographic and Behavioral Variables
Abstract
This study aims to examine the happiness levels of primary school students and the various factors that affect these levels. The research addressed factors such as peer bullying, socio-demographic, and behavioural variables, all of which were analysed for their impact on happiness at school. A relational survey model was used, with data collected from 4,612 primary school students in the Aegean Region during the 2023 - 2024 academic year in Türkiye. Correlation and regression analyses were performed on the data. The results showed that students were generally "quite happy" with “one in three students” experiencing peer bullying. All variables combined affected school happiness by 18%. Peer bullying negatively impacted students' happiness levels, while girls were found to be happier. Additionally, excessive mobile/tablet use, daily television viewing, number of siblings and age had a negative effect on happiness at school. Conversely, behaviour grades, reading habits, and maternal education levels were found to have a positive impact on happiness. The findings suggest that educational policies and school programs should aim to enhance students' happiness, with recommendations including the prevention of peer bullying, strengthening teacher-student relationships, ensuring active family participation, and simplifying educational content. These results are expected to guide educators, policymakers, and families.
Keywords
school happiness, peer bullying, socio-demographic variables, behavioral variables, primary school students
Supporting Institution
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Ethical Statement
This study was conducted in accordance with established principles of research ethics, including respect for participant rights, confidentiality, and voluntary participation. Ethical approval was granted by the Social and Human Sciences Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Board of …. University (Decision Date: May 9, 2024; Approval Number: 2024/122). Prior to data collection, all participants were fully informed about the study's purpose and procedures, and written informed consent was obtained. Furthermore, all data were anonymized to ensure participant privacy and confidentiality throughout the research process.
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