The Psychological Effects of Bullying Behavior on Mental Health Status among Adolescents

Abstract

Background: Bullying is associated with negative consequences such as depression, anxiety, self-harm behavior, and other psychosocial problems. While establishing the prevalence of traditional bullying and cyberbullying and the associated effects on mental health, the study aims to determine the psychological effects of bullying behavior on mental health status among adolescents at secondary schools.

Methods: Cross-sectional community-based study 304 students participated from two schools in Saudi Arabia, different sets of questionnaires including the Demographic Questionnaire, the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (R- OBVQ), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21).

Results: The findings suggest that bullying conduct has different psychological consequences on depression and stress, compared to anxiety. Additionally, it implies that sociodemographic factors may have an impact on the victim's mental health and bullying frequency.

Conclusion: According to the research, female students were bullied more often than male pupils. When compared to Saudi pupils, there is a higher prevalence of bullying among non-Saudi students