Impact of Bullying on Emotional Intelligence and Self Esteem among Secondary School Students

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the impact of bullying behaviors on emotional intelligence and self-esteem among secondary school students in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. A quantitative correlational research design was employed, involving a sample of 160 students (75 females, 85 males) aged 13 to 18 years, recruited from public and private secondary schools using a nonprobability sampling technique. Data were gathered using instruments that are frequently utilized and validated within the Pakistani context: the Bulling Participant Questionnaire to assess bullying roles, The Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test for emotional intelligence, and the Urdu-translated version of Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) for self-esteem. Results revealed significant interrelations among the key variables. Bullying behavior was positively associated with the assistant role and negatively with victimization and defending roles. Emotional intelligence and self-esteem were negatively correlated with bullying behavior but positively correlated with defending behavior. Interestingly, victimization showed a weak but significant positive correlation with both emotional intelligence and self-esteem, possibly indicating the development of resilience or coping strategies among some victims. Regression analysis further indicated that bullying behavior negatively predicted emotional intelligence and self-esteem, whereas defending and victim roles positively