Impact of Peer Labelling on the Wellbeing and Academic Performance of Secondary School Students

Negative peer labelling in schools can profoundly affect students well-being and academic performance. This study aimed to examine the impact of peer labelling on students academic performance, with emotional, social, and behavioural well-being considered as mediating factors. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, involving a sample of 390 students labelled by their peers across 31 public primary schools in Bhakkar, a district in Punjab, Pakistan. Data were collected using four self-developed scales aligned with the study variables and analysed through structural equation modelling (SEM) using SPSS and AMOS. The findings revealed that peer labelling significantly influences students academic performance. Moreover,