Temel Eğitimde Empati ve Akran Zorbalığı İlişkisi: Bilişsel ve Duygusal Empatiye Yönelik Meta-Analiz

Öz

Bu araştırmanın amacı, temel eğitim düzeyinde eğitim gören öğrencilerin empati düzeyleri ile akran zorbalığı yapma davranışları arasındaki ilişkiyi meta-analiz yöntemiyle incelemektir. Bu doğrultuda genel empati, bilişsel empati ve duygusal empati olmak üzere üç ayrı analiz gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma kapsamında Google Scholar, Scopus ve Web of Science veri tabanlarında yer alan çalışmalar sistematik olarak taranmış ve belirlenen dahil edilme kriterlerini karşılayan araştırmalar meta-analize dahil edilmiştir. Analizlerde rastgele etkiler modeli kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, genel empati ile akran zorbalığı arasında negatif yönlü ve anlamlı bir ilişkinin bulunduğunu göstermiştir. Benzer şekilde bilişsel empati ve duygusal empati ile akran zorbalığı davranışı arasında da negatif yönlü ve anlamlı ilişkiler tespit edilmiştir. Bununla birlikte analizlerde yüksek düzeyde heterojenlik tespit edilmiştir. Araştırma sonuçları, öğrencilerin empati seviyelerinin geliştirilmesinin akran zorbalığını önlemeye yönelik müdahale programlarında önemli bir rol oynayabileceğine işaret etmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Empati
• Akran Zorbalığı
• Bilişsel Empati
• Duygusal Empati
• Temel Eğitim

The Relationship Between Empathy and Peer Bullying Among Primary and Middle School Students: A Meta-Analysis of Cognitive and Affective Empathy

Öz

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between empathy levels and bullying perpetration behaviors among primary education students through meta-analysis. In this context, three separate analyses were conducted for general empathy, cognitive empathy, and affective empathy. Studies indexed in Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically reviewed, and those which meet the inclusion criteria were included in the meta-analysis. A random-effects model was employed in all analyses. The findings showed a significant negative relationship between general empathy and bullying perpetration. Similarly, both cognitive empathy and affective empathy were found to be negatively and significantly associated with bullying behavior. However, a high level of heterogeneity was observed across the analyses. The findings suggest that improving empathic skills may play an important role in intervention programs aimed at preventing bullying behaviors among students.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Empathy
• Peer Bullying
• Cognitive Empathy
• Affective Empathy
• Primary Education

Kaynakça

1. Athanasiades, C., Baldry, A. C., Kamariotis, T., Kostouli, M., & Psalti, A. (2016). The “net” of the Internet: Risk factors for cyberbullying among secondary-school students in Greece. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 22(2), 301-317.
2. Antoniadou, N., & Kokkinos, C. M. (2018). Empathy in traditional and cyber bullying/victimization involvement from early to middle adolescence: A cross sectional study. Journal of educational and developmental psychology, 8(1), 153-161.
3. Aslan, Ö. Ş., Şen, S., & Terzi, R. (2023). RevMan ile meta-analiz. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Buca Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, (56), 436-462.
4. Ayuna, R. S. Q., Karsih, K., & Herdi, H. (2026). The Relationship Between Empathy And Bullying Behavior In Smkn Students In West Cikarang. Jurnal Konseling Pendidikan Islam, 7(2).
5. Bang, S., & Lee, E. (2021). Empathy and Involvement in Bullying in Adolescents. International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology, 9(3), 46-54.
6. Bawono, Y., Wibowo, W. P., Aditiya, P. R., Listiyana, A. L., & Muarif, S. (2025). The effect of storytelling intensity on the empathy abilities: a study in madurese elementary school age children. Jurnal Konseling dan Pendidikan, 13(4), 300-310.
7. Becker, B. J. (2000). Multivariate meta-analysis. Handbook of applied multivariate statistics and mathematical modeling, 499-525.
8. Berzenski, S. R., & Yates, T. M. (2022). The development of empathy in child maltreatment contexts. Child Abuse & Neglect, 133, 105827.

9. Bhau, S., & Tung, S. (2020). Relationship of Bullying with Affective and Cognitive Empathy among Adolescents. Indian Journal of Psychological Science, 12, 89-96.
10. Brazil, K. J., Volk, A. A., & Dane, A. V. (2023). Is empathy linked to prosocial and antisocial traits and behavior? It depends on the form of empathy. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement, 55(1), 75.
11. Caravita, S. C., Di Blasio, P., & Salmivalli, C. (2009). Unique and interactive effects of empathy and social status on involvement in bullying. Social development, 18(1), 140-163.
12. Chen, Z., Gao, R., Li, J., Liu, Y., Lu, Y., & Chu, X. (2025). Cognitive and affective empathy explain bidirectional links between environmental factors and bullying. Social Psychology of Education, 28(1), 162.
13. Choi, B., & Park, S. (2021). When empathy leads to passive bystanding or defending of the victim in a bullying situation: Interaction with the perceived popularity of the bully. Educational Researcher, 50(5), 276-289.
14. Chu, X., Lu, X., & Huang, X. (2026). Does empathy predict bullying, or does bullying predict empathy? A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 55(2), 316-335.
15. Ciucci, E., & Baroncelli, A. (2014). The emotional core of bullying: Further evidences of the role of callous–unemotional traits and empathy. Personality and individual differences, 67, 69-74.
16. Coelho, V. A., Bear, G. G., & Brás, P. (2020). A multilevel analysis of the importance of school climate for the trajectories of students’ self-concept and self-esteem throughout the middle school transition. Journal of youth and adolescence, 49(9), 1793-1804.
17. Corkum, M., & Shead, N. W. (2025). Online moral disengagement: An examination of the relationships between electronic communication, cognitive empathy, and antisocial behavior on the internet. Psychological Reports, 128(6), 4169-4192.
18. Davis, M. H. (1983). Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a multidimensional approach. Journal of personality and social psychology, 44(1), 113.
19. de Dios Benítez-Sillero, J., Falla, D., Córdoba-Alcaide, F., & Zych, I. (2024). Bullying, cyberbullying, and empathy as longitudinal predictors of self-esteem. Psychology, Society & Education, 16(3), 63-71.
20. Del Rey, R., Lazuras, L., Casas, J. A., Barkoukis, V., Ortega-Ruiz, R., & Tsorbatzoudis, H. (2016). Does empathy predict (cyber) bullying perpetration, and how do age, gender and nationality affect this relationship?. Learning and individual differences, 45, 275-281.
21. Devleeschouwer, C., Galand, B., Tolmatcheff, C., & Salmivalli, C. (2025). Longitudinal Relationships Between Empathy and Bullying Among Boys and Girls: A Random Intercept Cross‐Lagged Panel Model Study. Aggressive Behavior, 51(3), e70026.
22. Dodaj, A., Sesar, K., Barisic, M., & Pandza, M. (2013). The effect of empathy on involving in bullying behavior. Paediatrics Today, 9(1), 91-101.
23. Eilts, J., Wilke, J., Düring, U. V., & Bäker, N. (2023). Bullying perpetration: the role of attachment, emotion regulation and empathy. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 28(4), 219-233.
24. Eilts, J., & Bäker, N. (2024). The role of CU traits, empathy and moral disengagement in bullying. Current Psychology, 43(7), 6136-6148.
25. Elmaoğlu, E., & Şimşek, A. (2025). Determination of the Relationship between Adolescents' Healthy Family Thoughts and Empathy Levels Towards Peer Bullying: A Cross-sectional Study. İstanbul Gelişim Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, (27), 944-960.
26. Espelage, D. L., Hong, J. S., Kim, D. H., & Nan, L. (2018, February). Empathy, attitude towards bullying, theory-of-mind, and non-physical forms of bully perpetration and victimization among US middle school students. In Child & Youth Care Forum (Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 45-60). New York: Springer US.
27. Farrell, A. H., Volk, A. A., & Vaillancourt, T. (2020). Empathy, exploitation, and adolescent bullying perpetration: A longitudinal social-ecological investigation. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 42(3), 436-449.
28. Farrell, A. H., & Vaillancourt, T. (2023). Indirect aggression, anxiety, and empathy: Disaggregating between and within person longitudinal associations during childhood and adolescence. Development and psychopathology, 35(1), 228-240.
29. Feshbach, N. D. (1975). Empathy in children: Some theoretical and empirical considerations. The counseling psychologist, 5(2), 25-30.
30. Garandeau, C. F., Laninga-Wijnen, L., & Salmivalli, C. (2022). Effects of the KiVa anti-bullying program on affective and cognitive empathy in children and adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 51(4), 515-529.
31. Gini, G., Albiero, P., Benelli, B., & Altoe, G. (2007). Does empathy predict adolescents' bullying and defending behavior?. Aggressive Behavior: Official Journal of the International Society for Research on Aggression, 33(5), 467-476.
32. Han, Z. Y., Ye, Z. Y., & Zhong, B. L. (2025). School bullying and mental health among adolescents: a narrative review. Translational pediatrics, 14(3), 463-472.
33. Hanim, W., & Sutisna, A. (2019, December). Empathy Profile Based on Gender in IV Graders of Elementary School Students. In International Conference on Education, Social Sciences and Humanities (pp. 138-142). RedWhite Press.
34. Harrison, D. S., Jenkins, L. N., Nickerson, A. B., Casella, J., & Bellavia, G. M. (2025). Why do some bullying victims perpetrate or defend? The potential moderating effects of cognitive and affective empathy. Psychology of Violence, 15(1), 43.
35. Hikmat, R., Yosep, I., Hernawaty, T., & Mardhiyah, A. (2024). A scoping review of anti-bullying interventions: reducing traumatic effect of bullying among adolescents. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 289-304. Hoffman, M. L. (1979). Development of Moral Thought, Feeling and Behavior. American Psychologist, 34 (10), 958-966.
36. Hoffman, M. L. (1982). Development of prosocial motivation: Empathy and guilt. The development of prosocial behavior, 281-313.
37. Hoffman, M. L. (1990). “The Contribution of Empathy to Justice and Moral Judgment”, N. Eisenberg ve J. Stayer (Ed.), Empathy And Its Development, Cambridge University Press, New York.
38. Johander, E., Trach, J., Turunen, T., Garandeau, C. F., & Salmivalli, C. (2022). Intention to stop bullying following a condemning, empathy-raising, or combined message from a teacher–do students’ empathy and callous-unemotional traits matter?. Journal of youth and adolescence, 51(8), 1568-1580.
39. Jolliffe, D., & Farrington, D. P. (2006). Examining the relationship between low empathy and bullying. Aggressive Behavior: Official Journal of the International Society for Research on Aggression, 32(6), 540-550.
40. Kayıran, D. (2023). Peer bullying experiences and management strategies of preschool teachers. International e-Journal of Educational Studies, 7(15), 648-656.
41. Kokkinos, C. M., & Kipritsi, E. (2012). The relationship between bullying, victimization, trait emotional intelligence, self-efficacy and empathy among preadolescents. Social psychology of education, 15(1), 41-58.
42. Kokkinos, C. M., & Kipritsi, E. (2018). Bullying, moral disengagement and empathy: Exploring the links among early adolescents. Educational Psychology, 38(4), 535-552.
43. Lin, Z., Zhou, Z., Zhu, L., & Wu, W. (2023). Parenting styles, empathy and aggressive behavior in preschool children: an examination of mediating mechanisms. Frontiers in psychology, 14, 1243623.
44. Low, S., & Espelage, D. (2013). Differentiating cyber bullying perpetration from non-physical bullying: Commonalities across race, individual, and family predictors. Psychology of Violence, 3(1), 39.
45. Mangione, S. (2024). The empathy gap. The American Journal of Medicine, 137(3), 290-291.
46. Martínez, J., Rodríguez-Hidalgo, A. J., & Zych, I. (2020). Bullying and cyberbullying in adolescents from disadvantaged areas: Validation of questionnaires; prevalence rates; and relationship to self-esteem, empathy and social skills. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(17), 6199.
47. Menesini, E., & Salmivalli, C. (2017). Bullying in schools: the state of knowledge and effective interventions. Psychology, health & medicine, 22(sup1), 240-253.
48. Monteiro, A. P., Marques, F., Relva, I. C., Simões, M., Sani, A. I., & Correia, E. (2024). The relation between bullying and cyberbullying, emotional intelligence, and empathy in portuguese adolescents. Adolescents, 4(4), 620-634.
49. Montero-Carretero, C., Pastor, D., Santos-Rosa, F. J., & Cervelló, E. (2021). School climate, moral disengagement and, empathy as predictors of bullying in adolescents. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 656775.
50. Muñoz, L. C., Qualter, P., & Padgett, G. (2011). Empathy and bullying: Exploring the influence of callous-unemotional traits. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 42(2), 183-196.
51. Nasaescu, E., Zych, I., Ortega-Ruiz, R., Farrington, D. P., & Llorent, V. J. (2023). Stability and change in longitudinal patterns of antisocial behaviors: The role of social and emotional competencies, empathy, and morality. Current Psychology, 42(14), 11980-11994.
52. Nasti, C., Intra, F. S., Palmiero, M., & Brighi, A. (2023). The relationship between personality and bullying among primary school children: the mediation role of trait emotion intelligence and empathy. International journal of clinical and health psychology, 23(2), 100359.
53. Neser, J., Ovens, M., Van der Merwe, E., Morodi, R., & Ladikos, A. (2003). Bullying in schools: A general overview. Acta Criminologica: African Journal of Criminology & Victimology, 16(1), 127-157.
54. Oliveira, W. A. D., Silva, J. L. D., Sampaio, J. M. C., & Silva, M. A. I. (2017). Students’ health: an integrative review on family and bullying. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, 22, 1553-1564.
55. Olweus, D. (1995). Bullying or peer abuse at school: Facts and intervention. Current directions in psychological science, 4(6), 196-200.
56. Peets, K., Pöyhönen, V., Juvonen, J., & Salmivalli, C. (2015). Classroom norms of bullying alter the degree to which children defend in response to their affective empathy and power. Developmental psychology, 51(7), 913.
57. Powell, M. D., & Ladd, L. D. (2010). Bullying: A review of the literature and implications for family therapists. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 38(3), 189-206.
58. Putri, R. D., Ariyati, I., & Setiawan, A. (2026). The Role of Emotion Regulation as a Mediator between Empathy and Bullying Behavior in Junior High School Students. Ghaidan: Jurnal Bimbingan Konseling Islam dan Kemasyarakatan, 10(1), 78-85.
59. Reniers, R. L., Corcoran, R., Drake, R., Shryane, N. M., & Völlm, B. A. (2011). The QCAE: A questionnaire of cognitive and affective empathy. Journal of personality assessment, 93(1), 84-95.
60. Romanova, K., Leigh, E., Badger, J. R., Hastings, R. P., Clarkson, S., Broome, M. R., ... & Bowes, L. (2026). Cognitive and affective empathy predict young children's involvement in bullying one year later. JCPP Advances, e70127.
61. Salmivalli, C., Huttunen, A., & Lagerspetz, K. M. (1997). Peer networks and bullying in schools. Scandinavian journal of psychology, 38(4), 305-312.
62. Salmon, S., Turner, S., Taillieu, T., Fortier, J., & Afifi, T. O. (2018). Bullying victimization experiences among middle and high school adolescents: Traditional bullying, discriminatory harassment, and cybervictimization. Journal of Adolescence, 63(1), 29-40.
63. Saracho, O. N. (2017). Bullying prevention strategies in early childhood education. Early childhood education journal, 45(4), 453-460.
64. Sarıgedik, E., Tunagür, M. T., Çelik, M. S., Akman, Ö. A., & Öztürk, E. E. (2026). Associations Between Peer Bullying and Theory of Mind, Alexithymia, and Empathy in Juvenile Delinquents. Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice, 1-16.
65. Schultze‐Krumbholz, A., Ittel, A., & Scheithauer, H. (2020). The association between in‐class cultural diversity with empathy and bullying in adolescence: A multilevel mediation analysis. International journal of psychology, 55(5), 769-778.
66. Smith, A. Theory of moral sentiments. London: A. Miller, 1759.
67. Smees, R., Rinaldi, L. J., & Simner, J. (2025). Components of Empathy in Children: Factor Structure of the Empathy Quotient for Children (EQ-C). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1-14.
68. Sorrentino, A., Esposito, A., Acunzo, D., Santamato, M., & Aquino, A. (2023). Onset risk factors for youth involvement in cyberbullying and cybervictimization: A longitudinal study. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 1090047.
69. Soto-García, O. H., Sainz, V., Maldonado, A., & Calmaestra, J. (2024). The TEI program for peer tutoring and the prevention of bullying: Its influence on social skills and empathy among secondary school students. Social Sciences, 13(1), 51.
70. Stavrinides, P., Georgiou, S., & Theofanous, V. (2010). Bullying and empathy: a short‐term longitudinal investigation. Educational psychology, 30(7), 793-802.
71. Steinvik, H. R., Duffy, A. L., & Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J. (2024). Can Empathy and Compassion Activation Affect Adolescents’ Empathic Responses, Compassion, and Behavioral Intentions When Witnessing Bullying?. International Journal of Bullying Prevention, 1-13.
72. Tanrikulu, I. (2018). Teacher reports on early childhood bullying: how often, who, what, when and where. Early Child Development and Care, 190(4), 489-501.
73. Tong, W., Yang, L., Liu, S., Feng, T., Jia, J., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Popularity goals and bullying behaviors among Chinese adolescents: the moderating roles of popularity status and cognitive empathy. Youth & Society, 55(8), 1501-1519.
74. Topcu, Ç., & Erdur-Baker, Ö. (2012). Affective and cognitive empathy as mediators of gender differences in cyber and traditional bullying. School Psychology International, 33(5), 550-561.
75. Utomo, K. D. M. (2022). Investigations of cyber bullying and traditional bullying in adolescents on the roles of cognitive empathy, affective empathy, and age. International Journal of Instruction, 15(2), 937-950.
76. Van Harmelen, A. L., Gibson, J. L., St Clair, M. C., Owens, M., Brodbeck, J., Dunn, V., ... & Goodyer, I. M. (2016). Friendships and family support reduce subsequent depressive symptoms in at-risk adolescents. PloS one, 11(5), e0153715.
77. Van Noorden, T. H., Bukowski, W. M., Haselager, G. J., Lansu, T. A., & Cillessen, A. H. (2016). Disentangling the frequency and severity of bullying and victimization in the association with empathy. Social Development, 25(1), 176-192.
78. Van Noorden, T. H., Haselager, G. J., Cillessen, A. H., & Bukowski, W. M. (2015). Empathy and involvement in bullying in children and adolescents: A systematic review. Journal of youth and adolescence, 44(3), 637-657.
79. Van Ryzin, M. J., & Roseth, C. J. (2019). Effects of cooperative learning on peer relations, empathy, and bullying in middle school. Aggressive behavior, 45(6), 643-651.
80. Van Ryzin, M. J., & Roseth, C. J. (2022). The longitudinal relationship between peer relations and empathy and their joint contribution to reducing bullying in middle school: findings from a randomized trial of cooperative learning. Journal of Prevention and Health Promotion, 3(2), 147-165.
81. Walters, G. D., & Espelage, D. L. (2018). Resurrecting the empathy–bullying relationship with a pro-bullying attitudes mediator: The Lazarus effect in mediation research. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 46(6), 1229-1239.
82. Wang, X., & Wang, H. (2024). Childhood psychological maltreatment and Chinese adolescents’ bullying perpetration: A moderated mediation model of angry rumination and empathy. Journal of Family Violence, 39(8), 1525-1537.
83. Wang, Y., Zhang, M., Yang, Z., Ye, W., Nie, Q., & Teng, Z. (2025). When push comes to shove: Unravelling the developmental and longitudinal dynamic relationship between bullying and empathy in Chinese school children. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 54(4), 981-996.
84. Wong, D. S., Chan, H. C. O., & Cheng, C. H. (2014). Cyberbullying perpetration and victimization among adolescents in Hong Kong. Children and youth services review, 36, 133-140.
85. Xie, L., Wen, P., Zhou, J., Li, X., Huang, J., & Li, L. (2024). Association of child maltreatment and school bullying among Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of peer relationships. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 2550.
86. Yang, J., Wang, X., & Lei, L. (2020). Perceived school climate and adolescents’ bullying perpetration: A moderated mediation model of moral disengagement and peers’ defending. Children and Youth Services Review, 109, 104716.
87. Yosep, I., Mardhiyah, A., Hazmi, H., & Hikmat, R. (2025). Exploring nursing interventions in family-based approaches for preventing bullying among children and adolescents: a scoping review. BMC nursing, 24(1), 601.
88. You, S., Lee, J., Lee, Y., & Kim, A. Y. (2015). Bullying among Korean adolescents: The role of empathy and attachment. Psychology in the Schools, 52(6), 594-606.
89. Ze, O., Thoma, P., & Suchan, B. (2014). Cognitive and affective empathy in younger and older individuals. Aging & mental health, 18(7), 929-935.