PEER BULLYING IN OUR AGE: AN ANALYSIS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF STUDENTS' WELL-BEING

Abstract

Peer interaction has a significant impact on students' well-being and academic achievements. Peer relationships assist students in developing social skills, fostering empathy, and growing up in a cooperative environment. However, when these relationships take a negative turn, particularly within the framework of peer bullying, they can adversely affect students' psychosocial health and various variables, including their developmental processes and achievements. The psychological and sociological effects of peer bullying experienced in school environments extend into adulthood. Due to the negative consequences on children, adolescents, and adults, research on peer bullying has increased in recent years. This study analyzes peer bullying as an important issue worldwide, including in our country, within the context of students' well-being. For this purpose, a detailed analysis has been conducted on the definition, types, and effects of peer bullying. Additionally, recent relevant studies on the subject have been evaluated. The phenomenon of peer bullying has been interpreted within the framework of student well-being, and possible solutions have been proposed. According to the research results, it is evident that peer bullying has reached serious dimensions not only in our country but worldwide. It leads to absenteeism and school dropout in different school levels, with males engaging more in physical bullying and females in verbal and relational bullying. Bullying negatively affects students physically, mentally, and academically. Moreover, cyberbullying has been on the rise in recent years among students. Students who are exposed to or exhibit peer bullying tend to have low self-esteem, intense anxiety, and depression symptoms, leading to a reduction in their subjective well-being. In this context, by focusing on the origins and types of peer bullying and effective strategies to combat this phenomenon, recommendations have been provided to make educational environments safer and more supportive within the framework of student well-being.